Aderência a medidas de proteção individual contra a hepatite B entre cirurgiões-dentistas e auxiliares de consultório dentário

Abstract

Objective: The Hepatitis B virus poses a recognized occupational risk to dental care workers. All dental care workers must be protected through immunization, with completion of vaccine series, and monitoring of vaccine response. This study examined the adherence to personal protection against hepatitis B, including vaccination and use of personal protective equipment, among dentists and dental assistants in the city of Florianopolis, South of Brazil. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected through self-reported questionnaires. Responses were obtained from 289 dentists and 104 dental assistants. Results: The prevalence of complete hepatitis B series vaccination was 73.4% among dentists and 39.4% among dental assistants. Only 32.1% and 21.9% of them, respectively, monitored vaccine response. A complete vaccine series was associated with year of graduation as of 1997 (PR = 1.16; IC95% = 1.01-1.33) and working mainly in a surgical specialty (PR = 1.24; IC95% = 1.02-1.51) among dentists, and with attending a training program among assistants (PR = 1.96; IC95% = 1.23-3.14). The proportion of always wearing gloves, masks, and protective eyewear was higher among dentists than assistants. Conclusion: Campaigns are necessary to vaccinate those who neither have been vaccinated nor have completed vaccine series and to inform about the need of vaccine response monitoring. Educational training is recommended to improve adherence to personal protection, specially focused on dental assistants.