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Learning Objective:
By the end of the presentation participants will:
Identify high risk groups to target for hepatitis vaccination services.
Understand issues around implementing adult hepatitis vaccination programs
Background:
Since 1995, the NYSDOH Immunization Program has targeted adults presenting to local health department (LHD) sponsored STD clinics with state funded hepatitis B vaccine. CDC recommends that all susceptible adults presenting to STD clinics and other high risk settings should be vaccinated against hepatitis B, and those individuals in certain high risk groups should be vaccinated against hepatitis A as well.
Setting:
STD and HIV clinics, county jails, migrant health centers, others
Population e.g. API Youth, MSM, IDU:
Adults and adolescents at risk for hepatitis infection
Project Description:
During 2001, the Adult Hepatitis Vaccination Program expanded to provide state funded hepatitis A vaccine and combination hepatitis A and B (Twinrix®) vaccine, as well as hepatitis B vaccine. LHDs were encouraged to provide the free vaccines to all high risk adults and adolescent seeking services in all local health department sponsored settings. These settings may include STD clinics, HIV testing sites, TB clinics, adult immunization clinics, substance abuse clinics, county jails, migrant health centers, Indian health centers, and others. Over 130,000 doses of hepatitis vaccines have been administered through the program, including approximately 100,000 doses of hepatitis B, 5,000 doses of hepatitis A and 25,000 doses of Twinrix® vaccine.
Results/Lessons Learned:
There are many challenges to reaching high risk adults with hepatitis vaccines. Educating others about the importance of integrating hepatitis vaccination services promotes buy in from staff and key policymakers in high risk settings. Since there is limited federal funding for vaccine purchase, local, state and grant funding must be sought. Collaboration with other key stakeholders at the local and state level is critical to integrating hepatitis vaccination services into high risk settings
See more of Poster Session #1
See more of The 2005 National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference