Hepatitis-B Vaccination Status Among Dental Surgeons in Benin City, Nigeria

BACKGROUND The development of success-oriented hepatitis-B vaccine uptake approach among dental surgeons is dependent on the availability of comprehensive baseline data. OBJECTIVE To determine the hepatitis-B vaccination status among dental surgeons in Benin City. MATERIALS AND METHODS This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of dental surgeons in Benin City was conducted in May 2011. The questionnaire elicited information on demography, occupational risk rating of contracting hepatitis-B infection, hepatitis-B vaccination status, barriers to uptake of hepatitis vaccine, and suggestions on how to improve hepatitis-B vaccination rates among dental surgeons. RESULTS Participation rate in the study was 93.3%. More than half (51.4%) of the respondents were 20-30 years old and 52 (74.3%) were males. The occupational risk of contracting hepatitis-B infection among dental surgeons was rated as either high or very high by 51 (72.9%) of the respondents. Amongst the respondents, 14 (20.0%) had received three doses of the hepatitis-B vaccine, 34 (48.6%) either two doses or a single dose, and 22 (31.4%) were not vaccinated. The major barriers reported among the respondents who were not vaccinated were lack of opportunity and the fear of side effects of the vaccines. The suggested ways to increase the vaccination rate among the respondents in descending order include: Making the vaccine available at no cost (51.4%), educating dentists on the merits of vaccination (17.1%), and using the evidence of vaccination as a requirement for annual practicing license renewal (14.3%) and for the employment of dental surgeons (11.4%) and others (2.9%). CONCLUSION This study revealed low prevalence of complete hepatitis-B vaccination among the respondents. Improvement in uptake following the respondents' recommendations will serve as a template in developing success-oriented strategies among stakeholders.