TY - JOUR
T1 - Overcoming barriers to hepatitis B immunisation by a dedicated hepatitis B immunisation service
AU - Larcher, V. F.
AU - Bourne, J.
AU - Aitken, C.
AU - Jeffries, D.
AU - Hodes, D.
AU - Sloan, D.
AU - Ramsay, M.
AU - Goldberg, D.
AU - Bramley, C.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Aims - To determine the effectiveness of a selective hospital based hepatitis B immunisation programme and the barriers to be overcome in obtaining a successful outcome. Methods - Retrospective case note review of 265 infants born over a five year period to hepatitis B carrier mothers at a university affiliated hospital in Hackney, London. Results - A total of 242 infants (91%) were fully vaccinated; 217 (82%) had serology; 31 required booster doses. Percentages failing to reach second, third vaccinations, and serology on schedule rose exponentially (7%, 18%, 33% respectively). Mobility was high (25%) and significantly affected outcome. A total of 95% Hackney resident babies were fully vaccinated compared with 78% non-residents. Uptake of routine immunisations was higher in Hackney residents than non-residents and greater in those who were eligible for hepatitis B vaccine. Name changes occurred in 35%. Translation requirements were high (85% for Turkish, Vietnamese, and Asian families). Requirements for specific postnatal counselling of mothers and hepatology referral fell significantly during the course of the study. Only seven of 22 babies born in 1995 in Tower Hamlets compared with 53 of 58 Hackney babies received a full vaccination course in non-hospital based primary care. Conclusion - In inner city areas with high prevalence of hepatitis B carriage, mobility, and diverse ethnicity, a dedicated centralised immunisation service can be highly effective, provided that adequate support services (translation, counselling, and parental referral) are available.
AB - Aims - To determine the effectiveness of a selective hospital based hepatitis B immunisation programme and the barriers to be overcome in obtaining a successful outcome. Methods - Retrospective case note review of 265 infants born over a five year period to hepatitis B carrier mothers at a university affiliated hospital in Hackney, London. Results - A total of 242 infants (91%) were fully vaccinated; 217 (82%) had serology; 31 required booster doses. Percentages failing to reach second, third vaccinations, and serology on schedule rose exponentially (7%, 18%, 33% respectively). Mobility was high (25%) and significantly affected outcome. A total of 95% Hackney resident babies were fully vaccinated compared with 78% non-residents. Uptake of routine immunisations was higher in Hackney residents than non-residents and greater in those who were eligible for hepatitis B vaccine. Name changes occurred in 35%. Translation requirements were high (85% for Turkish, Vietnamese, and Asian families). Requirements for specific postnatal counselling of mothers and hepatology referral fell significantly during the course of the study. Only seven of 22 babies born in 1995 in Tower Hamlets compared with 53 of 58 Hackney babies received a full vaccination course in non-hospital based primary care. Conclusion - In inner city areas with high prevalence of hepatitis B carriage, mobility, and diverse ethnicity, a dedicated centralised immunisation service can be highly effective, provided that adequate support services (translation, counselling, and parental referral) are available.
KW - Barriers to immunisation
KW - Hepatitis B
KW - Immunisation
KW - Inner city
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035122170&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/adc.84.2.114
DO - 10.1136/adc.84.2.114
M3 - Article
C2 - 11159283
AN - SCOPUS:0035122170
VL - 84
SP - 114
EP - 119
JO - Archives of Disease in Childhood
JF - Archives of Disease in Childhood
SN - 0003-9888
IS - 2
ER -
