S2153 How Race and Gender Influence Hepatitis A and B Vaccination Rates

Introduction: Hepatitis A and B are preventable infectious diseases, yet disparities in vaccine uptake persist across demographic groups. This study examines gender and racial/ethnic differences in vaccination rates using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017–2020 data. Methods: This study utilized publicly available data from the NHANES for the cycles spanning 2017 to 2020. Hepatitis A and B vaccination status was determined through self-reported responses to survey questions regarding prior receipt of these vaccines. Demographic variables, including race/ethnicity (categorized as Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Other) and sex (male or female), were used to assess disparities in vaccine uptake. Descriptive statistics were computed to summarize vaccination rates across demographic groups. SPSS version 26.0 was used to compare vaccination across different groups. Results: A total of 9,693 participants were included in the study, 51.3% of whom were female. The mean age was 50 years (SD = 19), with ages ranging from 18 to 80. Most participants were non-Hispanic White (34.8%) and born in the U.S. (71.7%). Only 27.5% had received at least 3 doses of the hepatitis B vaccine, and 23.5% had received at least 2 doses of the hepatitis A vaccine. Of those who received at least one dose of hepatitis A, 72% also received at least one dose of hepatitis B (P = 0.00). The mean age for hepatitis A and B vaccine recipients was younger (41.9 and 40.2, respectively) than for non-recipients (52.5 and 53.9, respectively; P = 0.00). Females were more likely than males to receive at least 1 dose of both vaccines (hepatitis A: 28.3% vs 25.8%, P = 0.007; hepatitis B: 35.7% vs 26.2%, P = 0.00). People born outside the U.S. were more likely to receive the hepatitis A vaccine (31.2% vs 25.5%, P = 0.00), but no difference was found for hepatitis B (P = 0.41). Racial differences were significant (P = 0.00), with Asian populations having the highest vaccination rates (hepatitis A: 37.5%, hepatitis B: 42.1%) and non-Hispanic Whites the lowest for hepatitis A (22.7%), and Mexican Americans the lowest for Hepatitis B (25.5%). Conclusion: Findings reveal significant disparities in hepatitis A and B vaccination, particularly by gender and race/ethnicity. These gaps highlight the need for targeted public health interventions to improve vaccine equity.