Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118521

Jennifer Vernon Campbell, MSPH, HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Program, Public Health - Seattle & King County, 106 Prefontaine Place South, Seattle, WA 98104, Richard S. Garfein, PhD, MPH, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Division of International Health and Cross Cultural Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mailstop 0622, San Diego, CA 92093, 858-822-1952, rgarfein@ucsd.edu, Elizabeth T. Golub, PhD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 627 N. Washington Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, Lawrence Ouellet, PhD, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, 1603 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, Sharon Hudson, PhD, Health Research Association, 1111 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90038, Danielle C. Ompad, PhD, Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029, and Cindy Weinbaum, MD, MPH, Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS G-37, Atlanta, GA 30333.

Background: Despite CDC recommendations to vaccinate IDUs against HAV and HBV, coverage rates remain low. Objective: To assess factors associated with HAV and HBV vaccine uptake when offered free during a 5-site HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) intervention trial of 15-30 year-old IDUs. Methods: IDUs recruited from community settings completed risk behavior self-interviews and antibody testing for HIV, HCV, HAV and HBV (total anti-HBc only) before trial randomization. Vaccine was offered presumptively at pre-test (except in Chicago) and subsequent trial visits if randomized; HAV/HBV test results were available 6-8 weeks post-baseline. Vaccination protocols differed by site. Results: Of 3285 participants, 69% were male, 64% White, and mean age was 23.8 years. HAV and HBV seroprevalence was 19% and 22%, respectively). Although 83% were willing to be vaccinated, only 36% overall received ³1 dose: 83% in Baltimore, 32% in Seattle, 18% in New York, 17% in LA, and 2% in Chicago. Most (94%) started before receiving test results. Participation was highest when vaccine was available immediately on-site (Baltimore) and lowest when offered only after receiving results (Chicago). Monetary incentive increased participation when on-site vaccination was not available (Seattle). Conclusion: Low HAV and HBV seroprevalence among young IDUs suggests that pre-vaccination screening is unnecessary and would have a deleterious effect on vaccine uptake. Participants were willing to be vaccinated but immediate, on-site availability was important to uptake. Convenience should be a key consideration in designing strategies to increase vaccine coverage among IDUs.

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