Work

Hepatitis B Virus Immunization Among Young Injection Drug Users in San Francisco, Calif: The UFO Study

Year: 2003

Type: article

Abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is common (44%–80%) in injection drug users (IDUs),1–8 and younger IDUs are at high risk.9–11 Although a safe and effective vaccine is available, high vaccine completion rates in IDUs (70%–86%) have been achieved primarily in drug treatment settings.12–15 Among street-recruited young injectors in San Francisco, Calif, only 13% had serological evidence of prior immunization, and 28% had been infected with HBV.16 We combined cash incentives and street outreach with flexible immunization schedules to improve HBV vaccine completion in young injectors in San Francisco. We examined factors associated with vaccine completion and observed postvaccination antibody responses in completers.

Source: American Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.2105/ajph.93.6.919

Authors: Paula J. Lum, Kristen C. Ochoa, Judith A. Hahn, Kimberly Page Shafer, Jennifer L. Evans, Andrew R. Moss

Institutions: San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco

Language: English

Topic: Hepatitis B Virus Studies

Subfield: Epidemiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse