Hepatitis B vaccination status among healthcare workers in a Tertiary Health Institution in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Hepatitis B, a disease caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted through percutaneous or permucosal exposure to infectious blood or body fluids. Health workers are at high risk of contracting HBV because of the nature of their occupation. It is one of the most serious of the 20 blood borne pathogens which are major threats to health care workers (HCWs). Standard preventive measures and immunization against HBV are key to this scourge. This study aimed to investigate the status of HBV as well as factors ameliorating for its uptake among HCWs in University of Benin Teaching Hospital. A stratified sampling method was thereafter applied to select 300 health workers comprising doctors, nurses and laboratory technologists. A quantitative approach was adopted through a self-administered questionnaire to collect data that centered mainly on their vaccination status and factors responsible for compliance or otherwise. Data was analyzed with the SPSS 21 in frequency tables and inferential statistics. Findings indicates that the medical practitioners, 55 (73.6%) had the highest compliance rate, followed by the Medical laboratory technologists 20 (70%) while the nurses had the lowest proportion of vaccination uptake 115 (60.8%). Availability 122(40.9%) and potency of the vaccine 163(54.7%) were among the factors reported for noncompliance by majority of the respondents, while others claimed forgetfulness 93(31.2%). The study recommends reminders through text messages to increase compliance and adherence of the cold-chain method of vaccine preservation.

Keywords: Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis B Vaccine, Health Care Workers