1 Brief report December 2017; Vol. 27(5):e2751749 https://doi.org/10.17061/phrp2751749 www.phrp.com.au Introduction It is estimated that at least 218 000 Australians are living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, but almost half of these remain undiagnosed, partly because of the often asymptomatic nature of the infection. 1 The Australian National hepatitis B strategy 2014–2017 2 acknowledges the increasing public health burden of CHB and emphasises the management of CHB in the primary care setting, and the testing and vaccination of priority populations, including close contacts of known cases. Close contacts are most at risk of infection; however, a previous study demonstrated that recommended screening and vaccination of close contacts is occurring suboptimally 3 , despite the availability of a free hepatitis B vaccine for contacts in Australia. The Sydney and South Western Sydney Local Health Districts (S&SWSLHDs) have the highest prevalence of CHB in New South Wales. 4 We surveyed general practitioners (GPs) in the area to determine their contact management practices for CHB patients and any barriers they may encounter. Methods We surveyed GPs in S&SWSLHDs who had at least one patient notifed as having CHB to the public health unit (PHU) between 1 June 2012 and 31 May 2013. The methods and study limitations are detailed elsewhere. 4 Here, we report only on the contact management component of the survey. Results Completed questionnaires were returned by 123 of 213 eligible GPs (57.7% response rate). There were signifcant differences in gender, age group, and type of practice between study participants and all GPs in S&SWSLHDs. 4 The average number of patients with CHB that respondents had notifed during Barriers to optimal screening and vaccination of hepatitis B contacts: a survey of general practitioners in NSW, Australia Zeina Najjar a,d , Janice Pritchard-Jones b , Siaw-Teng Liaw c and Leena Gupta a a Public Health Unit, Sydney Local Health District, NSW, Australia b AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia c General Practice Unit, South Western Sydney Local Health District, NSW, Australia d Corresponding author: zeina.najjar@health.nsw.gov.au Article history Publication date: December 2017 Citation: Najjar Z, Pritchard-Jones J, Liaw S-T, Gupta L. Barriers to optimal screening and vaccination of hepatitis B contacts: a survey of general practitioners in NSW, Australia. Public Health Res Pract. 2017;27(5):e2751749. https://doi. org/10.17061/phrp2751749