Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination Coverage in Medical, Nursing, and Paramedical Students

A Cross-Sectional, Multi-Centered Study in Greece

Bibliographic Data

ID15488983
AuthorsDimitrios Papagiannis (0000-0001-6123-559X, University of Thessaly), Zoi Tsimtsiou (0000-0002-9626-9295, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), Ioanna Chatzichristodoulou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Maria Adamopoulou (0000-0003-0775-9223, Department of Medical Laboratories, Molecular Virology Laboratory, Technological Institution of Athens, Athens 12243, Greece), Μαρία Αδαμοπούλου (Technological Educational Institute of Athens), Ilias Kallistratos (Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki), Spyros Pournaras (0000-0002-6298-9577, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Malamatenia Arvanitidou (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), George Rachiotis (0000-0002-0755-6197, University of Thessaly, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume13
Issue3
Pages323-323
Publication date2016-03-15
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph13030323
PMID26999171
OpenAlexW2300688397
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited20

Students of health professions are at high risk of hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection during their clinical training. The aim of this cross-sectional, multi-centered study was to investigate the HBV vaccination coverage in Greek medical, nursing, and paramedical students, to look into their attitudes towards the importance of vaccines and to reveal reasons associated with not being vaccinated. A self-completed, anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 2119 students of health professions in Greece, during the academic year 2013-2014. The HBV vaccination coverage of students was high (83%), being higher among medical students (88.1%, vs. 81.4% among nursing and 80.1% among paramedical students; p < 0.001). The vast majority of them (95%) have been vaccinated during childhood. In addition, 30% of the unvaccinated students declared fear over HBV safety. Our results indicate that the healthcare students achieved higher reported immunization rates compared to the currently serving healthcare workers, but also to the students of the last decade. The fact that nursing and paramedical students have lower coverage figures underlines the importance of targeted interventions for the different subgroups of healthcare students in terms of educational programs and screening for HBV markers in order to increase HBV vaccination uptake

Cross-sectional study · Family medicine · Health care · Hepatitis B · Hepatitis B virus · Immunization · Psychological intervention · Vaccination · Virus · Hepatitis B Virus Studies · Hepatitis Viruses Studies and Epidemiology · Medicine · Nursing · Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy · Immunology

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