The sixth annual multi-city survey of men who have sex with men, conducted by the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) at Gay Pride festivals over the summer of 2004, reveals that more than half of the nation’s gay and bisexual men are not protected against hepatitis A and hepatitis B, although vaccination rates are on the rise.
Surveyors garnered 949 responses from nine sites, according to a GLMA press release. It turned out that 40 percent of respondents were judged completely immune to hepatitis A and 39 percent were judged completely immune to hepatitis B. The highest vaccination rate was reported by respondents at San Francisco PrideFest, where 51 percent of respondents had received at least one dose of a vaccine against hepatitis A and 56 percent had received at least one dose of a vaccine against hepatitis B. By contrast, the lowest vaccination rates were reported by respondents at the Queens (NY) PrideFest: 35 percent had received at least one dose of a vaccine against hepatitis A and 40 percent had received at least one dose of a vaccine against hepatitis B. Also, respondents were less likely to have been vaccinated if they had a lower income; lacked healthcare coverage or a regular healthcare provider; or were not ‘out’ to the provider.
Symptoms of hepatitis A and hepatitis B include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, stomach discomfort, dark urine and jaundice. Information about hepatitis A and hepatitis B, along with a list of gay-friendly provider/members, is available at www.glma.org. A national list of free and low-cost hepatitis vaccination programs is available at HepClinics.com.