Motivation for hepatitis B vaccine acceptance among medical and physician assistant students

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Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the acceptance rate and motivation for acceptance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine among pre-clinical medical and physician assistant (PA) students in comparison with similar data obtained from resident and staff physicians. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of all second-year medical and PA students (n=170) at the University of Iowa College of Medicine was conducted in Spring 1992, requesting demographic data, preventive health measure use, and reasons for HBV vaccine acceptance. Responses were compared with data obtained from resident and staff physicians during a concurrent hospital-wide survey. Rates of vaccine acceptance and use of other preventive health measures were compared across the physician groups. Factor analysis was performed to examine reasons for vaccine acceptance among the students. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 162 of the 170 students (95%). Nearly all (99%) of the eligible students had received at least one dose of the HBV vaccine. Vaccine acceptance rates were significantly higher among the students than among either the resident or the staff physicians (p=0.003, pCONCLUSIONS: Excellent HBV vaccine acceptance rates may be achieved among preclinical medical and PA students. Recommendations of authority figures are important motivators for HBV vaccine acceptance among students.