Joanna Buffington1, Brigette Finkelstein
1, K O'Connor
1, G Bakker
2, M Palacio
2, P Pruski
3, J Douglas
4, J Subiadur
4, D Thoroughman
5, T Aragon
6, S Arnold
6, and ME Wilber
3. (1) Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control, Mailstop G-37, Atlanta, GA, USA, (2) Colorado Health Department, Denver, CO, USA, (3) Erie County DPH, Buffalo, NY, USA, (4) Denver Public Health, Denver, CO, USA, (5) Prevention Branch, CDC, Division of Viral Hepatitis, IHS National Epidemiology Program, 5300 Homestead Rd., N.E, Albuquerque, NM, USA, (6) San Francisco Health Department, San Francisco, CA, USA
KEYWORDS:
Hepatitis immunization
High risk adults
BACKGROUND:
Although hepatitis B and A vaccines have been recommended for adults at high risk of infection since 1982 and 1995, respectively, multiple opportunities for vaccination continue to be missed.
Viral hepatitis is a major public health problem in the United States. An estimated 76,000 new hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 165,000 hepatitis A virus infections occurred in 1999; approximately 1.2 million Americans are chronically infected with HBV, thus serving as a reservoir for transmission. Integrating hepatitis prevention services into existing programs is essential for prevention and control of these diseases.
OBJECTIVE(S):
To explore strategies, share experience with and barriers to integrating hepatitis vaccination services into existing programs serving high risk clients.
METHOD(S):
Funds were awarded to the Indian Health Service (IHS) and state and local health departments to examine the feasibility of integrating hepatitis services into existing programs serving high risk persons. In addition to planning and development of protocols, some settings implemented risk assessments and began offering hepatitis A and B vaccine to appropriate clients. In these settings, data collection and tracking was implemented and analyzed.
RESULT(S):
San Francisco Health Department developed a protocol for integration of hepatitis B vaccine into Jail Health Services. Denver Public Health began offering hepatitis B vaccination to clients in a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Erie County integrated hepatitis A and B vaccination into HIV programs. IHS developed protocols for integrating services into three settings serving high risk American Indians. Protocols, data, and experience from these sites will be shared.
CONCLUSIONS(S):
Hepatitis immunization services can successfully be integrated into existing public health programs that serve adults at high risk of infection.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
To describe strategies to integrate hepatitis vaccination into existing programs that serve high risk populations.
To discuss barriers to adult immunization, and ways to overcome barriers.
See more of Integrating Hepatitis A and B Immunization Services into Existing Public Health Programs
See more of The 36th National Immunization Conference
