title: Hepatitis B vaccination in six STD clinics in the United States committed to integrating viral hepatitis prevention services.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for clients of sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics. The Healthy People 2010 goal is for 90% of STD clinics to offer hepatitis B vaccine to all unprotected clients. This report describes hepatitis B vaccination trends in six STD clinics in the United States and discusses implications for policy and practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study in six STD clinics to evaluate hepatitis B vaccination. We collected data on client visits and hepatitis B vaccinations for the period 1997-2005. To compare clinics, we calculated vaccination rates per 100 client visits. We interviewed staff to explore factors associated with hepatitis B vaccination trends.
  
  
  RESULTS
  STD clinic client visits ranged from 2,883 to 23,109 per year. The median rate of hepatitis B vaccination was 28 per 100 client visits. Vaccination rates declined in all six clinics in later years, which was associated with eligibility restrictions caused by fiscal problems and increasing levels of prior vaccination. The median rate of vaccine series completion was 30%. Staff cited multiple provider- and client-level barriers to series completion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that STD clinics can implement hepatitis B vaccination and reach large numbers of high-risk adults. Adequate funding and vaccine supply are needed to implement current federal recommendations to offer hepatitis B vaccine to adults seen in STD clinics and to achieve the Healthy People 2010 objective.
authors.affiliation: RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. jlh@rti.org
authors.forename: Jennie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: T Stephen
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buffington
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015980:Public Health Practice; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines