Hepatitis B Birth Dose Vaccination among Vietnamese Children: Implications for the Expanded Program on Immunization.

BACKGROUND

This study assesses the prevalence of Vietnamese children receiving the hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine birth dose and explores its associated socioeconomic factors.

METHODS

We used the data of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, 2014. We estimated the overall percentage of HepB birth dose vaccination among 0-23-month-old children and its percentages according to selected characteristics. Multiple logistic regression was applied.

RESULTS

62.8% of children received the HepB vaccine birth dose. The prevalence rates by selected factors ranged from 35.3% to 76.7%. The categories with the lowest prevalence rates were children who had low birth weight (41.6%), had a mother aged less than 20 years (35.3%), had a mother with primary or less education (42.7%), belonged to ethnic minorities (30.3%), resided in rural areas (59.9%), and were in the 1 quintile of mother's socioeconomic status (38.6%). Receiving HepB vaccine birth dose was associated with child's birth weight, mother's age, mother's education, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified vulnerable groups, upon which policy-makers should focus their efforts to equitably and sustainably tackle birth dose HepB vaccine coverage as well as the full vaccination coverage, thereby promoting long-lasting herd immunity in this country.