Completion of Hepatitis B Vaccination Series by 18 Months in Infants Who Did Not Receive a Birth Dose - Summary - MDSpire

Completion of Hepatitis B Vaccination Series by 18 Months in Infants Who Did Not Receive a Birth Dose

  • By

  • Joshua T. B. Williams

  • Hannah Cruz

  • Amy Stein

  • Kristin Breslin

  • Michaela Brtnikova

  • Bradley Crane

  • Stephanie A. Irving

  • Sungching Glenn

  • Tat’Yana Kenigsberg

  • Bruno Lewin

  • Sara Tartof

  • Maria E. Sundaram

  • Sharon Fuller

  • Teresa Schmidt

  • Sean O’Leary

  • Daniela Canedo

  • Jason M. Glanz

  • Malini DeSilva

  • Candace C. Fuller

  • Ousseny Zerbo

  • Simon J. Hambidge

  • April 24, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To understand longitudinal trends in infant hepatitis B vaccine series completion through age 18 months, stratified by birth dose receipt, and to assess the implications for public health policy.

Key Findings:
  • 87.1% of children were fully vaccinated by 18 months, indicating high overall coverage.
  • 81.2% received a hepatitis B birth dose, which is crucial for series completion.
  • 3-dose coverage among those who received a birth dose exceeded 97%, demonstrating effectiveness.
  • 3-dose coverage for those without a birth dose declined from 73.2% in 2014 to 55.3% in 2023, highlighting significant disparities.
  • Disparities in series completion were noted by race, ethnicity, and language, necessitating targeted interventions.
Interpretation:

High vaccination coverage exists among those receiving a birth dose, while those without show significant declines and disparities, underscoring the need for targeted public health strategies to address these gaps.

Limitations:
  • Study conducted in primarily privately insured health care systems, which may not represent all populations.
  • Local differences in coding practices for demographic data could introduce bias.
  • Missing data on race and language in some sites limits comprehensive analysis.
Conclusion:

Findings underscore the need for monitoring birth dose refusal and improving communication strategies regarding hepatitis B vaccines, particularly targeting at-risk populations.

Original Source(s)

Completion of Hepatitis B Vaccination Series by 18 Months in Infants Who Did Not Receive a Birth Dose

  • by Joshua T. B. Williams, Hannah Cruz, Amy Stein, Kristin Breslin, Michaela Brtnikova, Bradley Crane, Stephanie A. Irving, Sungching Glenn, Tat’Yana Kenigsberg, Bruno Lewin, Sara Tartof, Maria E. Sundaram, Sharon Fuller, Teresa Schmidt, Sean O’Leary, Daniela Canedo, Jason M. Glanz, Malini DeSilva, Candace C. Fuller, Ousseny Zerbo, Simon J. Hambidge

  • April 24, 2026

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