Vaccination against Hepatitis B: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Vaccinology
• Global Health

Background:

• The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals aim to eliminate viral hepatitis.
• Hepatitis B vaccination is critical for achieving this goal.
• Numerous barriers impede effective hepatitis B vaccine uptake globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and identify global barriers to the effective uptake of the hepatitis B vaccine.
• To inform strategies for improving vaccination coverage.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted using PubMed Central (PMC) and Google Scholar.
• 803 articles were initially retrieved, with 36 relevant studies from the past 10 years selected for analysis.

Main Results:

• 74 distinct barriers to hepatitis B vaccination were identified.
• Barriers include system-related issues (1/3), caregiver education/awareness (1/4), fear of side effects, migration, service provider factors (1/5), and socio-cultural issues.
• Key barriers include limited health facility access, poor caregiver awareness, inadequate healthcare worker communication, and socio-economic factors.

Conclusions:

• A multitude of barriers significantly reduce hepatitis B vaccine uptake.
• Context-specific strategies are essential to address these barriers.
• Addressing these challenges is vital for countries at varying stages of hepatitis B vaccination implementation.