title: Quick assessment of the influence of the Hepatitis B vaccine event on children's vaccination.
abstract: From December 2013 to January 2014, a large number of medias in China reported negative information about Hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) safety issues using eye-catching titles, such as "3 infants in Hunan inoculated with HepB occurred adverse event, and 2 died," and that caused crisis of confidence in vaccination, which we called "HepB event." The progress of "HepB event" could be divided into 3 stages which were initiation, peak and ending stages. In order to evaluate the influence of "HepB event" on the attitudes of participants toward Hepatitis B vaccine safety and their intention of vaccinating their children in different stages, and provide evidence for authority departments as soon as possible to take measures to prevent decrease of HepB coverage rate, a quick field investigation was carried out.
  
  
  
  Using convenience sampling methods during the initiation, peak and ending stages of the "HepB event."
  
  
  
  In the 3 stages of the "HepB event," the awareness rate of the event among participants was rapidly rising, showing that the participants paid great attention to the event, and the information was spread very quickly. The proportion of participants who knew the event but thought that the Hepatitis B vaccine was unsafe were 31%, 37% and 26% respectively in 3 stages. In addition, the acceptance of vaccination by the participants was influenced, the proportion of participants who would like to delay or reject vaccinating their children was up to 43% in the peak stage of the event.
  
  
  
  The "HepB event" had impacted on the participants' confidence in the safety of Hepatitis B vaccine. For such event, relevant authority departments need effectively communicate with the media and the public, and promptly issue positive information and the investigation result, thereby reducing the negative impact of the event, and improve the vaccine confidence among the public.
authors.affiliation: a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Chenyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Xiaojin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: b Peking Union Medical College , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Wenzhou
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Fuqiang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Huaqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Lijie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Guoqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: a Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: An
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines
keywords: Hepatitis B vaccine; media; vaccination; vaccination hesitance