Hepatitis B birth dose vaccines | NITAG RESOURCE CENTER

Acceptability to stakeholders

Acceptability of the vaccine and of vaccination against the disease

As with all vaccines, caregiver knowledge, cultural factors, and local perceptions of vaccine safety influence uptake.^{Go to footnote 11}

However, despite findings of low levels of knowledge of HBV (see 4.1), the same studies have found that attitudes towards vaccination are generally positive.^{Go to footnote 22, Go to footnote 33}

In a study among health workers in Nigeria, over half perceived HepB-birth dose (BD) vaccines as extremely safe (61%) and effective (63.4%). Participants strongly agreed that birth vaccination is recommended (80.5%), ethically appropriate (68.3%), and that its benefits outweigh side effects (63.4%).^{Go to footnote 44}

Birth dose assessments conducted in Botswana, the Gambia, Namibia, Nigeria, and Sao Tome and Principe found that birth dose vaccination was a highly acceptable intervention in all five countries.^{Go to footnote 55}

A WHO scoping review summarizes and appraises the evidence from published and grey literature on improving coverage of the hepatitis B birth dose vaccine.^{Go to footnote 66}

Sources

Go back to footnote reference 1
Knudson S, Meghani A, Shelley KD, Mossie MY, Grapa E. Getting the Hepatitis B Birth Dose Vaccine to Every Baby: A Rapid Scoping Review of Birth Dose Vaccine Delivery Strategies in Out-of-Facility Settings. Vaccines. 2026; 14(7):554. doi:10.3390/vaccines14070554.
Go back to footnote reference 2
Han Z, Yin Y, Zhang Y, Ehrhardt S, Thio CL et al. Knowledge of and attitudes towards hepatitis B and its transmission from mother to child among pregnant women in Guangdong Province, China. PLoS One. 2017 Jun 2;12(6):e0178671. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0178671.
Go back to footnote reference 3
Belay A, Assefa A, Zeleke FT, Animaw M, Argaw M et al. Knowledge, attitudes, and factors associated with vertical transmission of hepatitis B among pregnant women in Gurage Zone, Ethiopia. Sci Rep. 2025 May 22;15(1):17815. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-94010-4.
Go back to footnote reference 4
Olusanya OA, Adedeji O, Ngoe C, Oladele D, Musa AZ et al. Examining perceptions, social, and policy factors influencing hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine uptake: a PEN-3 cultural model mixed-methods study of healthcare workers in Nigeria. Front Health Serv. 2026;6:1788089. doi:10.3389/frhs.2026.1788089.
Go back to footnote reference 5
Moturi E, Tevi-Benissan C, Hagan JE, Shendale S, Mayenga D, et al. Implementing a birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine in Africa: findings from assessments in 5 countries. J Immunol Sci. 2018;Suppl(5):31–40. doi:10.29245/2578-3009/2018/si.1104.
Go back to footnote reference 6
Practices to improve coverage of the hepatitis B birth dose vaccine. World Health Organization; 2012 (https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/03afc0d0-5168-456a-a045-3a04cd62cab9/content, accessed 26 August 2026).