Recorded presentation

Joerg Klewer, MD PhD¹, Parvin Tajik², Anahita Tavousi², Nasir Rostambeigy³, Laura Sasnauskaite⁴, and Joachim Kugler, MD PhD¹. (1) Public Health, Dresden Medical School, IMIB-Fetscherstr. 74, Dresden, 01307, Germany, 0049-351-3177217, Joklewer@aol.com, (2) Forum for Dynamic Thoughts, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O.BOX : 14155-6559 Tehran, Tehran, Iran, (3) Forum for Dynamic Thoughts, Tehran Univeristy of Medical Sciences, P.O.BOX : 14155-6559 Tehran, Tehran, Iran, (4) Dept. of Microbiology, Kaunas Medical University, Mickeviciaus 9, Kaunas, 3000, Lithuania

Introduction: Health professionals are responsible to provide the population with sufficient vaccinations. Furthermore, they endangered to acquire occupational hepatitis B infections. Until now, comparative studies on hepatitis B immunization in medical students from different countries are lacking. Therefore, the study analyzed vaccinations in medical students against hepatitis B from different countries. Methods: In this multi-center-study, 96 German, 88 Lithuanian and 121 Iranian medical students participated by working on an anonymous questionnaire related to demographical data and vaccinations. The response rates were 76-100%. Results: Not all of the investigated students were sufficiently vaccinated. Only 90.2% of the Iranian and 68.8% of the German medical students were immunized against hepatitis B. In the Lithuanian sample, 58% of the students did not know if they have been vaccinated sufficiently. Gender differences were not found. Nearly all medical students regarded vaccinations as important to prevent infectious diseases. Conclusions: Medical education should focus more on occupational infections and vaccinations to optimize immunization in future medical doctors. This will protect them against hepatitis B. Additionally, they will be better skilled to prevent infectious diseases by educating and vaccinating the general population.

Learning Objectives:

• After the presentation the participants should be informed about the differences in vaccinations for hepatitis B between medical students from Germany, Iran and Lithuania. The participant should also know, that even in medical students immunization still has to be improved.
• Vaccinations are very important to prevent several infectious diseases. The results point to the problem, that even in medical students recommended vaccinations still have to be improved. By presenting these results on the APHA Meeting we would like to discuss with other public health experts, how to improve immunization in medical students and in the general population. Additionally, the finding, that several medical students did not whether they were vaccinated or not, is an important issue for further investigations.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation