Elektronisk udgave - Sundhedsstyrelsen

adopted for immunization of 12-year-olds is not dependent on the options
chosen for infants.
It is easiest to introduce hepatitis B vaccination of 12-year-olds if children are
given their first dose of the vaccine at the same time as they receive their
recommended MMR vaccination. Children need to receive their follow-up
doses of hepatitis B vaccine after 1 and 6 months.
Either Engerix-B or H-B-VAX can be used to immunize 12-year-olds. At least
95% of the 12-year-olds vaccinated can be expected to receive protection
against HBV infection after 3 doses of the vaccine.
Knowledge about, and attitudes to hepatitis B and
hepatitis B immunization
One element of the current medical technology assessment involved national
interview research in the form of structured telephone interviews with parents
and prospective parents.
The purpose was to reveal parents’ knowledge about hepatitis B, as well as
their intentions in respect of allowing their children to be vaccinated against
the disease under different circumstances.
A total of 225 structured interviews were carried out with randomly selected parents
of children aged 15 years and under, and with prospective parents. The data
collected was partly socio-economic, with information about the family structure
etc., and partly revealed the responding persons’ knowledge about, and attitude
to children’s immunization against hepatitis B. The main conclusion was that the
majority of those questioned (86%) had heard about hepatitis B. They had a very
realistic view of the frequency of the disease in terms of the annual number of
newly infected cases in Denmark, in as much that most suggested the level was
approx. 100 cases annually. Although 48% wanted to have their children vaccinated
immediately, 20% were not in favour under all circumstances.
Most parents (60%) preferred a combined vaccine as opposed to separate vaccines.
The total number of needle pricks that parents found acceptable on one
visit to a doctor was low: e.g. maximum one or two needle pricks.
Some of those interviewed (13%) expressed the view that yet another vaccine
in the immunization programme could affect their attitude to the whole programme
and thereby lead to the risk of a generally lower level of support for
vaccinations than is currently the case. The conclusion is that hepatitis B is
certainly well recognised amongst the population. There was a significantly
spontaneous acceptance of the need for immunization against hepatitis B,
when taking into consideration that not much background information was
provided in connection with the interview questions.
24 Indførelse af hepatitis B vaccination som en del af børnevaccinationsprogrammet i Danmark. En medicinsk teknologivurdering