#VP136: Reduction In Hepatitis B Vaccine Uptake In Young People Who Inject Drugs and Recent Initiates In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 2017 – 2018

Background People who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk of hepatitis B infection (HBV). The proportion of people who inject drugs (PWID) ever infected with HBV in UK (excluding Scotland) has declined from 18% in 2008 to 9% in 2018 – this is attributed to high HBV vaccine uptake (72% in 2018). However, high uptake may not be universal and it is important to monitor uptake, missed vaccination opportunities and risk behaviours among young PWID and recent initiates, who are at greater risk of HBV infection Methods Data were extracted from the 2017 and 2018 annual unlinked anonymous survey of PWID, where PWID recruited from drug services provided a biological sample and self-completed a questionnaire. We included young PWID (

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