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Assessing prenatal hepatitis B screening in Illinois with an inexpensive study design adaptable to other
1Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago 60612, USA.
Objectives:
This study estimated, using an economical survey design adaptable to other jurisdictions, the proportion of birth admissions in Illinois hospitals in which mothers were not screened for hepatitis B surface antigen prior to delivery. It also identified factors associated with lack of screening.
Methods:
Based on a cluster sampling design, 1372 birth records were sampled, and data were abstracted by local personnel at 56 hospitals. Selected data elements were reabstracted on a subsample to evaluate recording errors.
Results:
Reabstracted data demonstrated 95% agreement among reviewers. Hepatitis B surface antigen screening was documented for 90.7% of mothers; 11% of responding hospitals accounted for 45% of nonscreened mothers. Risk factors for not being screened included no prenatal care, Medicaid or no insurance, and delivery at a hospital lacking a written hepatitis B surface antigen policy.
Conclusions:
In Illinois, prenatal hepatitis B surface antigen screening rates were high and similar to those in other states. Births without screening or transferred information clustered in a few hospitals. The methods used here can economically identify underscreened populations by sampling a large number of hospitals within designated areas.