Hepatitis B vaccination among physicians, dentists and nurses in Bahrain

الملخص EN

Background : Hepatitis B is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality throughout the world.

It is a well-documented occupational hazard for health care workers.

Objective : To assess hepatitis B vaccination among physicians, dentists and nurses in Bahrain.

Design : Cross-sectional study.

Setting : Occupational health group and immunization group of the disease control section in the Public Directorate of the Ministry of Health, Bahrain.

Method : All physicians, dentists and nurses working in the Ministry of Health, Bahrain recorded in the immunization health care workers software system were included in the study.

In 2012, there was a total of 3,051 physicians, dentists and nurses.

Data on vaccination against hepatitis B virus were reviewed and analyzed from October to January 2012.

Result : Three thousand fifty-one health care workers (HCWs) were enrolled in the study; seven hundred sixteen (23.5 %) were physicians, eighty-three (2.7%) dentists and two thousand two hundred fifty-two (73.8 %) nurses.

Seven hundred sixty-five (25.1 %) HCWs had completed the vaccination against hepatitis B, 416 (13.6 %) did not complete their vaccination and 1,870 (61.3 %) had not received any dose.

Nurses had better vaccination completeness.

Four hundred forty-eight (19.9 %) nurses, one hundred ten (15.4 %) physicians and seven (8.4 %) dentists had completed their vaccination.

Conclusion: The study revealed that hepatitis B vaccination coverage among physicians, dentists and nurses is very low.

There is a need to improve the health care workers software system and to implement the ministry of health policies on immunization of healthcare workers.