Hepatitis B vaccination status among patients with end-stage kidney disease on haemodialysis in Ethiopia: a multi-center cross-sectional study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease patients, especially those on hemodialysis, are at increased risk of developing hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Guidelines suggest that all patients with chronic kidney disease patients should be vaccinated against HBV, but these guidelines are sub-optimally implemented. Notably, there is a lack of studies in Ethiopia examining the hepatitis B vaccination status among patients with end-stage renal disease.

Objective: To assess the vaccination status of hepatitis B and associated factors among people with end-stage renal disease who were on hemodialysis.

Methods: A multi-center cross-sectional observational study was conducted in six randomly selected dialysis centers in Ethiopia, from May 2023 to September 2023. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate factors associated with vaccination status. A person is considered to be vaccinated against hepatitis B if he/ she has taken at least one dose of HBV. Vaccination status was determined by patient's recall and verification from medical record.

Results: Only 16% of patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis were vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (16.6%; with CI = 12.18, 21.83), of which 30% had received one dose, 57.5% had two doses, 12.5% had three doses, and only five had a booster dose. Post-secondary education (AOR = 5.47; 95% CI = 1.41, 21.2; P < 0.014) and dialysis for more than three years (AOR = 19.75; 95% CI = 4.06, 96.1; P < 0.001) were significant factors associated with having received hepatitis B vaccination.

Conclusion: Only a small minority of Ethiopian hemodialysis patients have received hepatitis B vaccination. The level of education of patients and the duration of time on dialysis were significant associated factors that affected the vaccination status of patients with end-stage renal disease. So, strong intervention is needed according to the identified factors to raise the vaccination status of patients.