Hepatitis B vaccination coverage among health care workers in Mongolia

• Naranzul Nyamsuren
• Enkhjargal Altangerel
• Tumurbat Byamba
• Sarangua Ganbold
• Enkh-Amar Ayush
• Khurelbaatar Nyamdavaa
• Baatarkhuu Oidov

Abstract

Since healthcare workers are at high risk of occupational exposure, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a challenging occupational health problem. The annual estimated proportion of healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to HBV globally is 5.9%, corresponding to an estimated 66 000 preventable HBV infections each year among HCWs worldwide.

Objectives. This study was to find out the HBV vaccination coverage and the associated factors among health care workers in the country.

Material and methods. It’s cross-sectional survey, used a multi-stage random sampling technique. Data was collected using a developed structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 21.

Results. The study team interviewed all 1135 participants about their vaccination status. 883 (77.8%) were vaccinated, while 199 (17.5%) were not vaccinated. Among 883 HCWs who reported that they were vaccinated, 538 (60.9%) of them received the full three doses of HBV vaccine while 257 (29.1%) were received two doses of vaccine, and 88 (10%) were received one dose of vaccine. Out of 931 HCWs born before 1992, 49.8% of them had completed three vaccine doses, while 19.8% had not been vaccinated. However, 33.3% of 204 HCWs born after 1992 were not vaccinated, while 36.3% received full doses of the HBV vaccine.

Conclusion. Half of the healthcare workers born before 1992 had completed three doses of the vaccine, while only 1/3 of the healthcare workers born after 1992 were fully vaccinated. Therefore, it can be concluded that there is an urgent need of intensifying the implementation of HBV vaccination programs at all levels of care.

Keywords:healthcare workers; hepatitis B; hepatitis B vaccine; Mongolia

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