Background: Mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B can be prevented with vaccination and screening. Foreign-born women living in the United States may have lower vaccination coverage and greater lifetime exposure to hepatitis B virus than US-born women. This study compares self-reported hepatitis B vaccination and screening between US-born and foreign-born women of reproductive age and examines predictors.
Methods: National Health Interview Survey data from 2013-2015 were pooled to estimate the prevalence of lifetime history of hepatitis B vaccination and screening self-reported by women aged 18-44 years who were born in the United States or elsewhere (foreign born). The significance of world region of birth, birth-year cohort, and immigration-related characteristics was considered.
Results: Among women of reproductive age (n = 24216), the reported hepatitis B vaccination coverage rate was 33% lower for foreign-born (27.3%) than for US-born (40.9%) women (t test, P < .05). Vaccination coverage was low for women who were born in Mexico/Central America/Caribbean islands (18.4%), South America (25.3%), and the Indian subcontinent (31.7%). Education, income, and insurance coverage were associated with vaccination in both groups. Screening was reported by 28.5% of foreign-born versus 31.9% of US-born women (t test, P < .05). The lowest reported screening prevalence occurred among foreign-born Hispanic or Latina Mexican (21.0%) and Puerto Rican (21.9%) women. Factors associated with screening prevalence among foreign-born women included English fluency, recent US residency, and citizenship.
Conclusions: Foreign-born women of reproductive age had lower hepatitis B vaccination and screening coverage than US-born women of reproductive age.