Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination Coverage in Medical, Nursing, and Paramedical Students: A Cross-Sectional, Multi-Centered Study in Greece

Dimitrios Papagiannis, Zoi Tsimtsiou, Ioanna Chatzichristodoulou, Maria Adamopoulou, Ilias Kallistratos, Spyros Pournaras, Malamatenia Arvanitidou and George Rachiotis
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Dimitrios Papagiannis: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa 41222, Greece
Zoi Tsimtsiou: Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
Ioanna Chatzichristodoulou: Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
Maria Adamopoulou: Department of Medical Laboratories, Molecular Virology Laboratory, Technological Institution of Athens, Athens 12243, Greece
Ilias Kallistratos: School of Health Professions, Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 57400, Greece
Spyros Pournaras: Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
Malamatenia Arvanitidou: Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
George Rachiotis: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa 41222, Greece

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-9

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: hepatitis B; vaccination; healthcare; students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2016:i:3:p:323-:d:65800

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