Nationwide Harris Poll survey finds
Americans underestimate the serious consequences of hepatitis B and vaccine protection benefits.

In the U.S., hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for adults aged 19 to 59, and for adults aged 60 and older with risk factors, and adults aged 60 and older without known risk factors may also be vaccinated.¹

Hepatitis B Can Lead to Serious Consequences

Hepatitis B is Preventable with Vaccination

Hepatitis B poses a significant threat to public health, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is working to eliminate the disease in the United States by 2030.⁶ These survey findings are an important step in understanding the public’s perception of this incurable disease and underscore the need for further education about hepatitis B and information on how to prevent. However healthy or not, anyone who has not been vaccinated is at risk for infection.

Hepatitis B vaccines do not treat liver disease like cancer.

Survey Participant Overview

Fielded September 30 - October 2, 2024

Survey Methodology

The Hepatitis B Perceptions and Insights Survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Dynavax Technologies among adults ages 18+ from September 30 - October 2, 2024 (N=2,090), and from April 10-14, 2025 (N=2,079). Data was weighted where necessary by age, gender, region, race/ethnicity, household income, education, marital status, size of household, and political party affiliation to reflect their actual proportions in the population.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the total sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.
 

1. Weng MK, Doshani M, Khan MA, et al. Universal hepatitis B vaccination in adults aged 19-59 years: updated recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices—United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022;71(13):477-483. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7113a1

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis B Basics. Accessed April 17, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis-b/about/index.html

3. Data on file. Dynavax Technologies Corporation. Flow model for universal hepatitis B vaccination (version 4.5) assumptions. May 24, 2021.

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Availability of information on risk behaviors or exposures associated with reported cases of acute hepatitis B — United States, 2022. Last reviewed April 3, 2024. Accessed July 12, 2024.

5. Llovet JM, Ducreux M, Lencioni R, et al. EASL-EORTC clinical practice guidelines: management of hepatocellular carcinoma. J Hepatol. 2012;56(4):908-943.

6. HHS Viral Hepatitis National Strategic Plan Overview, 27 November 2024. Available: https://www.hhs.gov/hepatitis/viral-hepatitis-national-strategic-plan/national-viral-hepatitis-action-plan-overview/index.html