Hepatitis B vaccination among health care workers in Erbil city, Iraq

Abstract EN

Background and objectives In developing countries, 40-60% of Hepatitis B Virus infection in Health care workers was attributed to professional hazard.

This study was carried out to calculate the vaccination rate among health care workers, and to assess the presence of association between vaccination rate and socio-demographic characteristics of health care workers.

Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Erbil City between September 1st, 2011 and March 1st, 2012 involving a convenient sample of health care workers from different departments in Erbil Teaching Hospital.

Results The sample included 300 health care workers (57% were males and 43% were females); their mean پ} SD age was 30.43 پ} 6.79 years (ranged from 20 to 55 years) with a male: female ratio of 1.33:1.

Results revealed that 56.7% of participants have received vaccination and amongst this group 63.5% had completed their vaccination schedule of three doses and 36.5% were partially vaccinated.

Vaccination uptake among males was significantly higher than females (64.3% vs.

46.5%) (P=0.002) and there was significant (P=0.001) association between type of employment and vaccination coverage which was highest among doctors.

Conclusions The vaccination rate was 56.7%, and the rate of vaccination was higher in males and doctors had the highest rate of vaccination.

The highest vaccination coverage is in those who work in the emergency department followed by laboratory department than other work areas.