 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Leland J Yee, MPH, PhD(c), Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 41 Judd Street, Flat 403, London, WC1H 9QS, United Kingdom, +44 207.387.4176, leland.yee@lshtm.ac.uk and Scott D. Rhodes, PhD, MPH, CHES, Department of Health Behavior and Education, University of North Carolina School of Public Health, 323C Rosenau Hall, Campus Box #7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440.
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B infection (HBV) is prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM) and constitutes an important public health problem. Although an effective vaccine exists, uptake is low.
METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the literature employing the Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, ERIC, and Web of Science databases to identify and synthesize the results of empirical HBV vaccination uptake research with the aim of identifying key aspects for community-based educators and practitioners and policy planners to better improve vaccination among MSM.
RESULTS: Among 22 papers identified overall, only 10 specifically addressed correlates of vaccination. Several important domains were identified that are associated with vaccine uptake: 1) younger age and higher education level, 2) knowledge of the vaccine, 3) access to healthcare including the vaccine, 4) level of “outness” regarding one’s sexual orientation, 5) behavioral factors including sex and drug use, 6) psychosocial issues including perceived barriers.
CONCLUSIONS: The low rates of vaccine uptake among MSM are a missed opportunity to prevent disease. These findings suggest that community and policy planning groups must work to make vaccines easily accessible. Vaccines must be low cost or free for recipients and administered to people in easily accessible locations. Accelerated dosing schedules may prove more effective for some populations. Access to health care and information about HBV are important. Innovative delivery methods, such as peer education should be explored. Vaccine delivery programs should be instituted with proper mechanisms of empirical evaluation of the effectiveness of both delivery and cost.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Community Health Planning, Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.