IMPACT OF A PROMOTION PROGRAM FOR HEPATITIS-B IMMUNIZATION

This study compared levels of hepatitis B immunisation in a group of 5 24 infants in Northland, New Zealand, with levels in the remainder of the country. The Northland sample had specific encouragement from an i mmunisation coordinator and had been followed from birth. Levels throu ghout the rest of the country were estimated from four samples totalli ng 317 infants whose parents were interviewed when the child was at le ast two years old. The cross-sectional nationwide sample had fewer chi ldren 'fully immunised' by two years of age (minimum estimate 61.8 per cent, maximum estimate 69.7 per cent) than the cohort of children (no t lost to follow-up) who were encouraged to have the immunisations in Northland (77.5 per cent) (Z = 4.73, P < 0.001 for comparison with the minimum nationwide estimate; Z = 2.45, P = 0.014 for comparison with the maximum estimate). Of the Northland cohort, 13.5 per cent were los t to follow-up before the scheduled completion of the hepatitis B vacc inations. Assuming that every child lost to follow-up was not fully im munised, the efforts of the immunisation promotion program operated by a nurse coordinator increased the percentage of children fully immuni sed by between about 7.8 per cent and 15.7 per cent. A promotion progr am for hepatitis B immunisation, operated by an immunisation coordinat or, is an effective tool for increasing immunisation coverage.