Hepatitis B vaccination for sex workers: do outreach programmes perform better?
OBJECTIVE
To assess to what extent hepatitis B vaccination of sex workers in Ghent, Belgium, is successful within the context of the existing health services and to compare this with alternative approaches such as outreach programmes; to compare two hepatitis B vaccination schemes in the outreach programme for sex workers.


METHODS
Testing all first contacts (n = 1096) in the outreach programme for hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers assessed success of hepatitis B vaccination in routine services. The performance of the outreach service was measured by counting the number of sex workers who started hepatitis B vaccination in the programme. The hepatitis B vaccination schemes were assessed by analysing the number of people completing the vaccination.


RESULTS
Naturally acquired HBV was found in 11.9% of 1096 sex workers (0.6% HBsAg), and 7% were vaccinated in existing services. In contrast, hepatitis B vaccination using outreach methodology was able to achieve higher vaccination rates: among non-immune sex workers 82.8% received the first dose of vaccine, and 71.5% the second. If given 1 month later, 67.9% received the third dose, in contrast with 47.9%, when given 6 months later.


CONCLUSIONS
Existing services are not successful in vaccinating sex workers for HBV, in contrast with specifically targeted outreach services. Shorter intervals between vaccine doses gave better compliance.
Mak
R
R
Department of Public Health, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. rudolf.mak@rug.ac.be
Traen
A
A
Claeyssens
M
M
Van Renterghem
L
L
Leroux-Roels
G
G
Van Damme
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001530:Belgium; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012309:Risk-Taking; D011477:Sex Work; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods
D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines