Acceptance of hepatitis B vaccine among dental health care workers

Systematic review of adherence to infection control guidelines in dentistry

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of dental health care workers (DHCWs) towards infection control procedures, to examine DHCWs' practising behaviour in respect of infection control, and to determine whether a relationship exists between knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.

METHODS

Within this systematic review, study quality was assessed in line with selection criteria relating to study design, participants, interventions and outcome measures. Following data extraction, the heterogeneity of study design, targeted participants, sample size and outcome measures precluded a quantitative analysis. Qualitative data synthesis followed.

RESULTS

Overall, the quality of the studies reviewed was poor. Only 71 studies meeting the selection criteria were identified. Data indicated that over the period of the review there have been substantial improvements with compliance in some areas of infection control in dentistry, for example glove wearing. However, other aspects, such as the effective management of needlestick injuries, remain problematic.

CONCLUSIONS

More rigorously designed studies are required to assess accurately dental team members' adherence to infection control guidelines.

Routine hepatitis B vaccination in a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases

Patients were assigned to one of two vaccine schedules to assess the feasibility of vaccinating a sexually transmitted disease clinic population against hepatitis B virus. Of 1386 patients entering an inner-city clinic between June and July 1990, 611 (44%) accepted a first dose of vaccine. Twenty-one percent of all susceptible patients received at least two doses of vaccine. Annualizing these findings shows that an ongoing program could prevent 636 hepatitis B virus infections per year. Although a significant proportion of sexually transmitted disease clinic patients can be successfully vaccinated, strategies for preventing hepatitis B virus infections in this high-risk population must consider patient behavior as well as vaccine efficacy.