%0 Journal Article
%T Impact of Behaviour Change Communication on Uptake of Hepatitis B Vaccination among Health Workers in Fako Division, Cameroon
%A Serge Ngekeng
%A Alain Chichom-Mefire
%A Nicholas Tendongfor
%A Esembeson Malika
%A Margaret Ebob-Bessem
%A Simeon Pierre Choukem
%J Open Access Library Journal
%V 11
%N 1
%P 1-15
%@ 2333-9721
%D 2024
%I Open Access Library
%R 10.4236/oalib.1111084
%X Background: Despite WHO estimates of two million healthcare workers (HCWs) who are exposed to hepatitis B virus (HBV) yearly, uptake of the hepatitis B vaccine among HCWs in Cameroon is low. Objective: Our study aimed at testing the effectiveness of a behaviour change communication (BCC) intervention in improving vaccination uptake among HCWs in Fako Division. Methods: We carried out a clustered randomized controlled trial involving HCWs in 12 study hospitals and 12 control hospitals.  Baseline vaccination uptake was established for both groups and a 6month BCC intervention applied to the study group. After 6months, uptake was again measured for both groups. We performed the adjusted chi-square tests to compare between groups and within groups from baseline to end of study. Results: Greater than 1 dose vaccination uptake increased from 25.66% to 34.72%(p value, 0.02) in the control group and from 35.27% to 75.89% (p value, <0.001) in the study group, meanwhile ¡Ý 3 dose uptake increased from 8.68% to 27.92% (p value, <0.001) in the control group and from 17.86% to 65.63% (p value, <0.001) in the study group. The change in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control (p value, <0.001). Posters and brochures reached 93.8% of participants while 35.9% said they got vaccinated because of the work station visits. Conclusion: BCC is effective in increasing hepatitis B vaccination uptake among HCWs. Public health officials should utilize wide-reaching as well as more interactive channels of BCC to improve vaccination among HCWs.
%K Hepatitis B
%K Vaccination
%K Behaviour Change Communication
%K Health Care Workers
%U http://www.oalib.com/paper/6812741