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Cost-effectiveness of preimmunization hepatitis B screening in high-risk adolescents
1Division of Immunization, Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing, MI 48909, USA. blosteinj@state.mi.us
Objective:
The goals of this study were to estimate seroprevalence of prior hepatitis B infection among high-risk adolescents and to determine the cost-effectiveness of prevaccination immunity screening.
Methods:
The authors computed a "break-even" seroprevalence level calculated from current vaccine and administration costs. They then conducted a seroprevalence study of hepatitis B core antibody using sera previously submitted for syphilis serology from four-hundred adolescent and adult clients of sexually transmitted disease clinics. Finally, the authors compared age group-specific seroprevalence rates to the computed break-even seroprevalence.
Results:
Levels of prior hepatitis B infection for all age groups were lower than the break-even seroprevalence standard from which cost-effectiveness was calculated.
Conclusions:
From the findings of this study, the authors concluded that routine preimmunization screening for prior hepatitis B infection would not be cost-effective for this population.