HEPATITIS-B VACCINATION - UPTAKE BY MEDICAL STAFF IN ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS

To assess the current uptake of hepatitis B vaccine and attitudes towa rds immunization among accident and emergency practitioners in the UK, a postal survey was carried out. Questionnaires were sent to 742 memb ers of the British Association for Accident and Emergency Medicine (BA EM). Four hundred and six (55%) replies were received. Of 351 responde nts in career-grade posts 309 (88%) had received a full course of immu nizations. Five respondents were not immunized and not intending to be so, reporting 13 different factors influencing their decisions. The r isks of hepatitis B in nonimmune subjects are discussed, as are new go vernment guidelines on the protection of health care workers from hepa titis B infection.