ABSTRACT

Hepatitis B is a viral an infection that may lead to long-term liver damage, and it is preventable through vaccination. This study aimed to investigate the uptake of the hepatitis B vaccine among undergraduate nursing students at the University of Benin. The study employed a cross-sectional descriptive survey research design, and the stratified sampling technique was used to select 196 the participant. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire. The findings showed that the majority of the respondents (70%) had a good level of awareness regarding the hepatitis B vaccine. However, there were some specific areas where the students exhibited a lack of knowledge, such as the effectiveness of the vaccination against hepatitis B to treat acute infection. The uptake of the hepatitis B vaccine among the respondents was low, with only 48% reporting that they had received the vaccine.  Factors influencing hepatitis B vaccine uptake among nursing students were also explored in this study. The results indicated that lack of awareness (82.6%), difficulties in accessing vaccination services (81.6%), absence of mandatory vaccination policies (85.2%), and high costs (73%) were significant factors affecting vaccination decisions among the respondents. The study also found that age (χ2 = 6.901, p = 0.009), marital status (χ2 = 75.095, p < 0.001), and gender (χ2 = 14.459, p < 0.001) were significantly related to vaccine uptake among undergraduate nursing students at the University of Benin. Older students, married students, and female students exhibited higher vaccine uptake compared to their counterparts. In conclusion, while awareness of hepatitis B vaccination among undergraduate nursing students at the University of Benin was generally good, the uptake of the vaccine was low. The researcher suggests that the Nigerian Nursing and Midwifery Council (NNMC) should consider making hepatitis B vaccination mandatory for all nursing students in Nigeria.

Keywords: Uptake, Hepatitis B, Vaccine, Nursing Student