Hepatitis B vaccination awareness and biological risk.
BACKGROUND
Hepatitis B virus is a possible risk in persons exposed to biological risk at work. Vaccination is the only prevention against infection.


OBJECTIVE
A population of 1,408 employees of the University of Padua was investigated to define the immunological status for HBV and degree of awareness to hepatitis B vaccination.


METHODS
The subjects were subdivided according to sex, age (< or = 40 or > 40 years old), level of education (college graduates or lower), and the extent of biological risk (no risk, low or high risk). Clinical history questionnaires were used and measurement of hepatitis B markers was carried out.


RESULTS
The results showed that only 30.5% of the subjects had been vaccinated; among these, 90.2% showed a measurable level of anti-HBs antibodies, 8.2% showed anti-HBs antibodies lower than 10 IU/L, and 1.6% showed positive markers of previous infection. However, among non-vaccinated subjects 13.4% were positive for previous infection; in all subjects, prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection was 9.8%. The awareness to hepatitis B vaccination was altogether very low (30.5%), but females (44.2%), subjects less than 40 years of age (43.5%), college graduates (34.1%), and high risk exposed personnel (57.7%) were more likely to comply compared to male subjects (odds ratio 2.53), subjects more than 40 years of age (odds ratio 3.57), non-college graduates (odds ratio 1.65), or low risk exposed (odds ratio 13.42).


CONCLUSIONS
The variables considered appeared to influence awareness to vaccination. Owing to low awareness, an information campaign was started and 90% of the invited subjects were immunized.
Trevisan
A
A
Dipartimento di Medicina Ambientale e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Padova, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padova. andrea.trevisan@unipd.it
Borella Venturini
M
M
Paruzzolo
P
P
Maso
S
S
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009790:Occupations; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities
D015415:Biomarkers; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines