Shamarina D, Sluga-O'Callaghan M, Kassianos G, Marijam A, Dave V, Davenport E, Andani A, Curran D, Dewda P, Steffen R. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of European healthcare professionals towards hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination in at-risk adults. Vaccines (Basel). 2023 Oct 26;11(1645):1-19. doi: 10.3390/vaccines11111645


Despite the occurrence of several hepatitis A (hepA) and hepatitis B (hepB) outbreaks in Europe in the last decades, not all European countries have implemented hepA and hepB vaccinations in their national immunization programs, especially for adults at risk of hepA and/or hepB infection such as men who have sex with men or patients with chronic liver disease. Currently, little is known on the attitudes of European healthcare professionals (HCPs) towards hepA and hepB vaccinations for at-risk adults. We conducted an online survey among HCPs in Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom, to assess their awareness of and adherence to their national hepA and hepB vaccination guidelines for at-risk adults. Among the 698 HCPs who took the survey, most (91.1%) were familiar with their national vaccination recommendations and followed them always or most of the time when advising or prescribing hepA or hepB vaccines. Major and moderate barriers for recommending or administering such vaccines were non-disclosure of risk factors by the patient (53.0%—57.6%), and patient’s lack of motivation or knowledge about the risk of disease (50.3%—52.9%). These results may help inform on strategies to improve and accelerate hepA and hepB vaccination in European at-risk adults.

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