Hepatitis B, a viral infection caused by the hepatitis B virus, is an important infectious disease. It is a public health problem in Brazil due to its significant impact on morbidity and mortality. Analyzing its vaccination schedule is fundamental for disease prevention and control policies. This study aimed to analyze adherence to the complete Hepatitis B vaccination schedule based on epidemiological profiles among older adults between 2012 and 2022 in Brazil and its macro-regions. A descriptive study was carried out based on Hepatitis B vaccination data. Information was collected from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (SUS), from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) panel, and from the National Immunization Program Information System (SI-PNI), covering the period from 2012 to 2022 for Brazil and its macro-regions. The variables used were age group and region of residence. From 2012 to 2022, 3,731,123 first doses of the Hepatitis B vaccine were administered to older adults in Brazil. There was a reduction in the number of second doses, totaling 3,046,550, representing a decrease of approximately 18.3% compared with the first dose. Furthermore, there was a reduction of about 15.0% between the second and third doses, with 2,588,467 third doses recorded. In the Southeast region, the region with the highest number of doses administered among older adults, 2,136,102 first doses were recorded, decreasing to 1,765,101 for the second dose, a reduction of approximately 17.4%. Between the second and third doses, the reduction was about 14.3%, with 1,512,105 third doses administered. In the North region, 141,513 first doses were administered, with a reduction to 107,271 second doses, a decrease of approximately 24.2%, greater than that observed in the Southeast. Between the second and third doses, the reduction was about 16.2%. The data analyzed indicate a worrying trend of progressive decline in adherence to the complete Hepatitis B vaccination schedule among older adults in Brazil, with significant regional variations. The North region shows more pronounced percentage declines compared with the Southeast region and the country as a whole, revealing possible inequalities in access to and continuity of vaccination. These differences reinforce the need for region-specific strategies to ensure the effectiveness of immunization and reduce the impact of Hepatitis B.
MONTEIRO et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: