Occupational Exposure to Blood, Hepatitis B Vaccine Knowledge and Uptake among Medical Students in Cameroon.

In this study we describe the knowledge of risk factors for HBV infection, history of accidental exposure to blood, awareness of HBV vaccine and the vaccination status among medical students in Cameroon.Methods/Findings: A cross-sectional survey was carried out using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire among 111 medical students. Sixty-two (55.9%) had had at least one accidental exposure to blood since the beginning of their medical training, with a median of 2 (IQR, 1-3) exposures. There was a good knowledge of the risk factors for HBV infection and awareness of HBV vaccine among participants. However, only 20 (18%) participants had completed the three doses of primary HBV vaccination. Furthermore, only 2 of the 20 (10%) adequately vaccinated participants had a post-vaccination test to confirm a good immune response and thus an effective protection against HBV infection. The main reason for not being vaccinated was lack of money to pay for the vaccine (45.6%). Forty seven (42.3%) participants had been sensitized by their training institutions about the importance of HBV vaccination. These were more likely to be vaccinated compared to those who had not been sensitized (p
Source: BMC Medical Education - Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Source Type: research