NURSES' KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES REGARDING HEPATITIS B: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze, in the literature, the nurses' knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding Hepatitis B. Method: an integrative review, with search and selection conducted independently by peers, after electronic queries in the CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, LILACS, BDENF and IBECS databases in January 2021. The sample consisted in 15 primary studies published with no time or language restrictions. Analysis and synthesis of the results were carried out in a descriptive manner. Results: limitations in knowledge, inconsistent attitudes and commonly neglected assistance-related practices were identified, related to prevention, immunization and biosafety measures, to risk management and to monitoring of symptoms and complications, which contributed to greater occupational exposure. Among the associated factors, low participation in permanent education activities, training level, working conditions, limitations in the availability of immunization tests (anti-HBs) and underreporting of health problems stood out. Conclusion: the knowledge, attitudes and practices developed by nurses in relation to Hepatitis B proved to be limited and inconsistent, which may result in greater occupational exposure, as well as exert a direct impact on vaccination coverage and occurrence of incidents.

Nurses' Knowledge toward Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in Guilan, Iran

Background:

Health care workers (HCWs) represent high risk population for viral hepatitis infection.

Objectives:

This study sought to assess the knowledge of HCWs regarding hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) infection.

Methods:

In a multi-center cross sectional study, all HCWs from eight teaching hospitals were invited to participate in the study and to fill in a self-administered questionnaire.

Results:

A total of 1008 eligible HCWs have responded to the study. A high proportion of the study participants (55.4% and 52.9%) had unsatisfactory knowledge about HBV and HCV. Mean knowledge score toward HBV was significantly higher among more educated staff, p <0.001 and vaccinated personnel, P=0.02. Majority of responders answered correctly to transmission questions toward HBV and HCV (90% and 80%, respectively). There was statistically significant difference in only transmission domain score between various hospitals (p<0.05). The highest scores were related to surgical hospital.

Conclusion:

Although more than ninety percent of our participants were educated about HBV and HCV, knowledge about nature of disease, prevention, treatment and vaccine availability was unsatisfactory. Continuous training program toward viral infection is a matter of necessity.

Using hepatitis A and B vaccination as a paradigm for effective HIV vaccine delivery

Background: An understanding of vaccine acceptance and uptake is imperative for successful vaccination of populations that will be primary targets for vaccination after a vaccine against HIV is developed and ready for dissemination. Experiences with vaccination against vaccine-preventable hepatitis (VPH) among men who have sex with men (MSM) may offer key insights to inform future HIV vaccination strategies. The purpose of this analysis was to explore what is known currently about vaccination among MSM, using knowledge gained from vaccination against VPH, and to identify important considerations from these experiences that must be explored further as a vaccine against HIV is promoted among MSM. Because cultural and political differences make it difficult to extrapolate findings from studies in one country to another, we have focused our analyses on studies conducted in the USA. Methods: Through a qualitative systematic review of published reports, we identified eight studies that reported correlates of VPH among MSM in the USA. Results: Six major domains of variables associated with vaccination against VPH were identified, including: demographics (e.g. younger age, higher educational attainment); increased vaccine knowledge; increased access to health care; provider recommendation; behaviours (e.g. same-sex behaviour, health-promoting and disease-preventing behaviours); and psychosocial factors (e.g. openness about one’s sexual orientation, reduced barriers to being vaccinated, self-efficacy). Conclusions: Further research is needed to understand vaccination behaviour among MSM and to maximise acceptance and uptake after a vaccine exists. Experiences with VPH provide a real-world model on which to base preliminary assumptions about acceptance and uptake of a vaccine against HIV.

Hepatitis B vaccination status among healthy adults in Germany

OBJECTIVES

The hepatitis B vaccination policy in Germany was intensified by the implementation of hepatitis B vaccination for adolescents in the vaccination calendar in 1995. To investigate the effect of this measure on the hepatitis B vaccination coverage of healthy adults, we analysed the hepatitis B vaccination status of blood donors. Furthermore, the reasons for vaccination and the relationship between vaccination status and age, sex, and current profession were studied.

METHOD

Using a standardised questionnaire, randomly incoming whole blood donors were asked for hepatitis B vaccination status, the reason for vaccination, gender, age and current profession. Multiple logistic regression analysis with vaccination status as dependent variable and age, gender and current profession as explanatory variables was performed.

RESULTS

Overall, 1519 (22.3%) of the 6812 interviewed whole blood donors were vaccinated against hepatitis B. Younger age was significantly associated with higher acceptance of hepatitis B vaccination with already 44.1% of whole blood donors aged 18-29 years being hepatitis B immunised. Beside health care workers, teaching professions and students showed the highest hepatitis B vaccination rate. Foreign travel was nearly an equivalently important reason for hepatitis B vaccination as occupational risks.

CONCLUSION

The high hepatitis B vaccination coverage among young and healthy adults indicates the success of the intensified hepatitis B vaccination policy since 1995. However, concentrating education measures on individuals with lower educational level and intensifying hepatitis B vaccination in the context of foreign travel could further increase the acceptance of hepatitis B vaccination.