The importance of hepatitis B vaccination among adolescents

Objective: To examine whether teens who have received an education about he patitis B and demonstrated content mastery can apply this knowledge to eval uate their own risk of acquiring hepatitis B. Methods: Nine hundred forty-three participants received a standard educatio n and completed a questionnaire about hepatitis B; 769 participants who cor rectly answered the questions pertaining to risk factors for transmission p articipated. The questionnaire assessed demographic factors, self-reported risk behaviors, and attitudes toward hepatitis B and the immunization. Self -reported likelihood of acquiring hepatitis B and importance of hepatitis B immunization were measured on a 10-point Likert scale and served as outcom e variables. Relationships were analyzed using frequency analysis, Mann-Whi tney U and Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance. Results: Participants who were nonwhite (p < .001), had their bills paid by Medicaid (p = .007), were lower academic achievers (P = .011), had had sex ual intercourse (P = .003), and had had a sexually transmitted disease (STD ) (P = .028) were more likely to report that the hepatitis B immunization w as more important to their health. Participants who reported they had smoke d tobacco (P = .018) or consumed alcohol (p = .001) recently, had had sexua l intercourse (p < .001), or had been diagnosed with an STD (p < .001) were more likely to report being at higher risk for acquiring hepatitis B. Conclusions: Most teens considered the hepatitis B immunization important t o their health. Most adolescents did not think they were at significant ris k for contracting hepatitis B; however, teens who reported increased indivi dual risk factors also reported increased perceived risk of disease. (C) So ciety for Adolescent Medicine, 2001.