Factors influencing administration of hepatitis B vaccine to community-dwelling teenagers aged 12-18 with an intellectual disability.
Parent or sibling care, modest income, and a dental visit each double hepatitis B shot completion in teens with ID.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team mailed short forms to families of teens with intellectual disability.
They asked who gives daily care, family income, and past dental visits.
They checked health cards to see if the hepatitis B shot series was done.
What they found
Seven in ten teens had finished all three shots.
Teens cared for by a parent or sibling were twice as likely to be protected.
A dental visit in the past year and a mid-level income also doubled the odds.
How this fits with other research
Lin et al. (2010) saw the same 74% rate one year earlier in a wider age range.
Lineberry et al. (2023) later showed that trusted doctor talk also lifts COVID shot uptake in ID families.
Together the papers form a line: trusted caregiver plus clear health information equals better vaccine completion.
Why it matters
When you meet a teen with ID, ask who handles health choices and if they have a regular dentist.
If the caregiver is a paid staff person or the family missed dental care, flag the chart for extra shot reminders.
One quick question can double the chance the teen leaves fully protected.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The study aims to determine hepatitis B vaccination coverage rates among community-dwelling teenagers with an intellectual disability in Taiwan and to identify the possible influencing factors of their vaccination. The present paper was part of the results of the "2007 National Survey on Healthy Behaviors and Preventive Health Utilizations of People with Intellectual Disabilities in Taiwan," which was a cross-sectional survey of 1111 intellectually disabled (ID) teenagers ranging from 12 to 18 years of age. The results showed that the completed hepatitis B vaccination rate was 72.9%, a rate lower than that in the general population of Taiwan considering the same age group. There was no gender difference between each age group in the vaccination rate in this population. Multilevel logistic regression analyses revealed that those ID individuals whose primary caregivers were parents or siblings (OR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.29-4.64), whose household monthly income was 20,000-59,999 NTD vs. less than 20,000 NTD (OR = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.00-6.12), and who had ever undergone an oral health exam (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.24-4.01) were more likely to receive a complete hepatitis B vaccination than their counterparts. The study highlighted that most teenagers had received complete hepatitis B vaccination. Nonetheless, better public health strategies may be needed to deliver the hepatitis B vaccine to those who do not comply with the vaccination schedule in the community.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2011 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.05.008