Hepatitis B vaccination in adolescents: Knowledge, perceived risk, and compliance

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate adolescents' and parents' knowledge of hepatitis B, perceived risk of hepatitis B, and compliance with a three-dose vaccine series. Methods: Two hundred adolescents were recruited into the study. Participants completed a questionnaire that examined hepatitis knowledge, sexual activity, contraceptive use, and perceived risk of acquiring hepatitis B infection at enrollment and the final 8-month follow-up visit. They also had blood drawn for determination of hepatitis B serology at these visits. Their parents completed a questionnaire at enrollment. Results: A total of 174 (87%) participants completed the study. Adolescents initially had very little knowledge about hepatitis but did have significant improvement in their knowledge scores at the 8-month follow-up. Their parents were more knowledgable. Most teens perceived their risk of acquiring the hepatitis B infection as slight or none. Their perceptions of their risk of acquiring hepatitis B were not associated with sexual activity, contraceptive choices, or number of sexual partners. In contrast, the parents' perceptions of their teens' risk of acquiring hepatitis B were associated with the teens' sexual activity, contraceptive choices, and number of sexual partners. Conclusions: The adolescents studied had little knowledge about hepatitis or their personal risk. In contrast the adolescents' parents were more knowledgable about hepatitis. The more informed the parent, the less sexual risk-taking behaviors the adolescent reported. (C) Society for Adolescent Medicine, 1997.