HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2006.101915v1 98/5/839    most recent Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Weinbaum, C. M. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Weinbaum, C. M. Related Collections Epidemiology Access to Care Immunization/Vaccines Hepatitis Prevention Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Persons

Cindy M. Weinbaum, MD, MPH, Rob Lyerla, PhD, Duncan A. MacKellar, MA, MPH, Linda A. Valleroy, PhD, Gina M. Secura, PhD, MPH, Stephanie K. Behel, MPH, Trista Bingham, MPH, MS, David D. Celentano, ScD, Beryl A. Koblin, PhD, Marlene LaLota, MPH, Douglas A. Shehan, Hanne Thiede, DVM, MPH, Lucia V. Torian, PhD for the Young Men’s Survey Study Group

At the time of the study, Cindy M. Weinbaum and Rob Lyerla were with the Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Duncan A. MacKellar, Linda A. Valleroy, Gina M. Secura, and Stephanie K. Behel were with the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta. Trista Bingham is with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA. David D. Celentano is with the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD. Beryl A. Koblin is with the New York Blood Center, New York, NY. Marlene LaLota is with the Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee. Douglas A. Shehan is with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. Hanne Thiede is with Public Health–Seattle, Seattle, WA, and King County, Seattle. Lucia V. Torian is with the New York City Department of Health, New York.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Reprint Services, Office of Communications, NCHHSTP, Mailstop E–06, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16000 Clifton Road, Atlanta GA 30333 (e-mail: NPIN2{at}cdc.gov).

Objectives. We measured the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) immunization and HBV infection among men aged 23 to 29 years who have sex with men.

Methods. We analyzed data from 2834 men who have sex with men in 6 US metropolitan areas. Participants were interviewed and tested for serologic markers of immunization and HBV infection in 1998 through 2000.

Results. Immunization prevalence was 17.2%; coverage was 21.0% among participants with private physicians or health maintenance organizations and 12.6% among those with no source of health care. Overall, 20.6% had markers of HBV infection, ranging from 13.7% among the youngest to 31.0% among the oldest participants. Among those susceptible to HBV, 93.5% had regular sources of health care, had been tested for HIV, or had been treated for a sexually transmitted disease.

Conclusions. Although many young men who have sex with men have access to health care, most are not immunized against HBV. To reduce morbidity from HBV in this population, providers of health care, including sexually transmitted disease and HIV prevention services, should provide vaccinations or referrals for vaccination.