Characteristics associated with hepatitis B vaccination initiation and completion among adults traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity

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The hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine is recommended for adults traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity. Data from the 2016 and 2017 National Health Interview Surveys were pooled. The weighted prevalence of HepB vaccination initiation (≥1 dose) was 37.67% in 2016 (weighted number: 30,581,813/81,192,803) and 40.20% in 2017 (weighted number: 34,509,993/85,849,427). The weighted prevalence of HepB vaccination completion (≥3 doses) was 29.97% in 2016 (weighted number: 24,331,218/81,192,803) and 31.78% in 2017 (weighted number: 27,282,536/ 85,849,427). Characteristics independently associated with HepB vaccination initiation (in descending order by odds ratio) included age, receipt of influenza vaccine, education, ever having lived with someone with hepatitis, class of worker, number of physician visits in the past 12 months, ratio of family income to the poverty threshold, region, sexual orientation, gender, heath insurance, computer use, physical activity, and Hispanic ethnicity. Similar results were found in the analysis for HepB vaccination completion, except that subjects born in the United States showed a higher likelihood of HepB vaccination completion. HepB vaccination initiation and completion were associated with a number of characteristics that can be utilized to develop strategies to increase HepB vaccination coverage among adults traveling to a country of high or intermediate endemicity.