Serosusceptibility and hesitancy for booster HBV vaccination among health care workers in Italy: A cross-sectional study

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV). The most effective prevention measure is vaccination, with a serum hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) titre > 10 mIU/ml considered protective. To date, the sociodemographic and occupational characteristics related to HBV serosusceptibility and factors associated with booster hesitancy remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to identify factors associated with maintaining a protective HBsAb titre in a large sample of HCWs and to evaluate factors potentially associated with hesitancy towards vaccine boosters. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs who underwent a health surveillance visit between 2017 and 2022. If the serum HBsAb titre was