Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices toward Hepatitis B Virus Infection among Students of Medicine in Vietnam

Knowledge of hepatitis B infection, hepatitis B vaccine, and vaccination status with its associated factors among healthcare workers in Kampot and Kep Provinces, Cambodia

BACKGROUND

Healthcare Workers (HCWs) are susceptible to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and are advised to receive vaccination. However, vaccination rates remain low in developing countries. There is little data concerning Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccination and information regarding HBV knowledge among HCWs in Cambodia. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of HBV infection, HepB vaccine, and vaccination status with its associated factors among HCWs in Cambodia.

METHODS

A Cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs in Kampot and Kep Provinces, Cambodia, from September to October 2023 using a questionnaire survey. A total of 261 HCWs were recruited from 1,309 individuals working in all 83 health facilities using systematic random sampling methods. Statistical analyses including the χ2-test and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to identify factors associated with vaccination among the participants.

RESULTS

Among 259 participants, 62.9% showed good knowledge of HBV infection, and 65.6% demonstrated good knowledge of the HepB vaccine. 59.8% of the participants had received the HepB vaccine, while 40.2% remained unvaccinated. Analysis showed that HCWs working at Provincial Health Department/Operational Districts and Provincial Referral Hospital/Referral Hospitals were more likely to be vaccinated compared to those at Health Centers [AOR = 6.5; CI = 1.1-39.5, p = 0.0403; AOR = 2.8, CI = 1.0-7.8, p = 0.0412], respectively. Furthermore, individuals with good knowledge of the HBV infection and vaccine were more likely to receive the vaccine compared to those with inadequate knowledge [AOR = 6.3; CI = 3.3-12.3, p < .0001; AOR = 3.7, CI = 1.9-7.4, p = 0.0001], respectively. Within the unvaccinated HCWs, 32% reported high vaccine costs as a barrier, 33% mentioned workplace vaccine was not for adults, and 59% reported insufficient education on adult HepB vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

The HepB vaccination coverage among HCWs is at 59.8%, which is below the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendation rate of 100%. Knowledge of HBV infection and HepB vaccine were good predictive factors for vaccination. The high cost of vaccine, workplace vaccine not for adults, and insufficient education on adult vaccination were found as barriers to vaccination. This study underscores the importance of providing education to HCWs on HBV infection and the HepB vaccine. Furthermore, it highlights the need for a policy that ensures free vaccination for HCWs.

'People Like Us Would Have No Clue If the Information Is Online': Exploring Understanding and Sources of Hepatitis B Information Among Vietnamese Australians

Socio-cultural and behavioural factors are often not adequately considered in designing health promotion programs for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia. Given that people of Vietnamese background are disproportionately impacted by hepatitis B, the aim of this research was to better understand these factors to inform hepatitis B health promotion messages for the Vietnamese community. Twenty participants (four living with hepatitis B) were interviewed by a Vietnamese-speaking researcher. The interview sessions explored beliefs about health, the body and liver; knowledge and attitudes about hepatitis B vaccines, testing, clinical management and stigma; and sources of health information and value given to information on social media. Participants had a range of understandings of health and hepatitis B which informed their responses to health education and intervention. Participants appeared to have limited knowledge and misconceptions about transmission, prevention, treatment, and management of hepatitis B. Stigma surrounding hepatitis B was apparent, with over half the participants reporting that they distanced themselves from people living with hepatitis B. Participants preferred online information resources for younger people and traditional media in the Vietnamese language for older people. By understanding what Vietnamese people know about hepatitis B and how they access health information, these findings can be used to inform health promotion campaigns using print, media, and radio to ensure wide reach. Knowledge of community specific information is key to reducing the burden of hepatitis B among culturally and linguistically diverse communities and ensuring they are able to access healthcare services for testing, monitoring, and care.

Occurrence and Reduction of Hepatitis B Vaccine Hesitancy Among Medical University Students - Shanxi Province, China, 2020

What is already known about this topic?

Previous research has primarily examined the issue of hepatitis B vaccine hesitancy in migrant workers and other adult populations. However, there is a lack of studies that have specifically investigated the prevalence of hepatitis B vaccine hesitancy among university students.

What is added by this report?

In this study, 19.84% of students expressed hesitancy towards receiving the hepatitis B immunization. A negative correlation was observed between hepatitis B vaccine hesitancy and knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to hepatitis B. Conversely, a positive relationship was identified between hepatitis B-related knowledge and attitudes and practices.

What are the implications for public health practice?

This study examines the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy towards hepatitis B at a medical university in China. The results have significant implications for developing strategies to improve hepatitis B vaccination rates.

Hepatitis B screening and knowledge among Chinese and Vietnamese students in Australia

Research has shown that there are significant gaps in hepatitis B knowledge among migrant communities who are at risk of hepatitis B, such as Chinese and Vietnamese communities. Many students studying within Australia come from countries with high prevalence of hepatitis B. However, there is very little research examining hepatitis B knowledge, screening, or vaccination among university students in Australia or worldwide. The aim of this paper was to measure both levels of and demographic differences in hepatitis B screening and knowledge among Chinese and Vietnamese students in Australia. Online surveys were completed by 112 Chinese- and 95 Vietnamese-identifying students in Australia, measuring knowledge of hepatitis B, engagement in screening and vaccination, and demographic characteristics. Results show that although engagement in screening and vaccination for hepatitis B was high, there were significant gaps in knowledge around transmission of hepatitis B. There were also some key demographic differences in screening and knowledge. For instance, those born in Australia were more likely to have been screened compared to those born Mainland China, Hong Kong, or Vietnam. Chinese students born in Australia had lower levels of knowledge compared to those born in Mainland China or Hong Kong. Among both samples, knowing someone living with hepatitis B was associated with higher levels of knowledge. Findings underscore the need for education-based interventions to address the significant gaps that exist in knowledge around hepatitis B, with a specific need for culturally appropriate resources in a range of languages to cater to the diverse communities who may be at risk of hepatitis B.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards Hepatitis B vaccination among medical undergraduate students of Maharajgunj Medical Campus in Nepal: a cross-sectional study

Background

The rate of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among health professionals is about 2-10 times higher than that of the general population since, they are more prone for exposure to infected blood and body fluid and contaminated needles and syringes. The risk of accidental exposure among the medical students is even higher due to their non-experience, insufficient training and lack of preventive knowledge. The objective of this study is to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of medical students towards Hepatitis B.

Methods

A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 206 medical undergraduate students from May 2022 to July 2022. A pretested self- administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice towards Hepatitis B vaccination. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to collect data. Descriptive analysis was done by calculating frequency and percentages of categorical variables. χ2 test was used to determine the association between categorical independent variables and categorical dependent variables.

Results

Among 206 students, 93.7% of them had good knowledge and 98.5% had good attitude. The practice was low with only 35% having safe practices. Similarly, only 46.6% of medical students were completely vaccinated. 23.8% had done Hepatitis B testing. Students who had encountered Hepatitis B patients during their posting were 51.9%. There was significant association of sociodemographic variables with knowledge, attitude and practice towards Hepatitis B vaccination.

Conclusion

Although, the knowledge and attitude towards Hepatitis B vaccination is high, the practice levels are very low. This indicates need for immunizing medical students against Hepatitis B and reforming training curriculum more focusing on preventive practices against HBV.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward the Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Medical Students in Medina City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

INTRODUCTION

This study focuses on assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to Hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevention among medical students in Medina, Saudi Arabia. HBV is a significant global health concern, with a high prevalence in Saudi Arabia. Medical students due to their field, are at higher risk of exposure. Prior studies in Saudi Arabia show varied levels of awareness. This research aims to provide insights that can inform educational initiatives for this specific population.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study conducted from June 2023 to September 2023 by using a pre-designed online questionnaire that was distributed among medical students in Medina. Data was analyzed using IBM Corp. Released 2020. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.

RESULTS

This study included 307 participants. 67.8% of the participants correctly identified the link between HBV and liver cancer, and 77.5% recognized the transmission risk from carriers. 91.9% acknowledged the transmission via contaminated blood and fluids, and 88.9% recognized the risk from unsterilized instruments. Positive attitudes were observed, with 92.2% agreeing that following infection control guidelines would protect them at work. Practice scores were generally positive, including high rates of screening (57.3%) and adherence to infection control measures (90.2%). Knowledge scores correlated positively with attitude (rho = 0.204) and practice scores (rho = 0.390).

CONCLUSION

A significant proportion of participants had a strong understanding of HBV transmission and the importance of infection control measures. Positive attitudes towards infection control were prevalent, although some reluctance to provide care to HBV-infected individuals was noted.

Knowledge level of healthcare professionals regarding hepatitis B immunizatıon of newborns: example of Turkey

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate healthcare professionals' knowledge level for hepatitis B immunization of term and preterm newborns.

METHODS

The study was conducted with 213 midwives, nurses, and physicians between October 2021 and January 2022 in a province of Turkey.

RESULTS

Participants had the least knowledge about the management of newborns with low birth weight born to hepatitis B-infected mothers (16%).

CONCLUSION

The study revealed some knowledge gaps among healthcare professionals regarding hepatitis B immunization of newborns.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices toward Hepatitis B Infection among Healthcare Students-A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Jordan

The World Health Organization has estimated that around 66 thousand HBV infection cases are caused by needlestick injuries annually. Healthcare students should be aware of HBV transmission routes and preventive measures. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward HBV among Jordanian healthcare students and its associated factors. A cross-national study was conducted from March to August 2022. The questionnaire was composed of four sections: participants' sociodemographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices about HBV, and 2322 participants were enrolled. The collected responses were analyzed with SPSS software (version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA)) using descriptive statistics, unpaired t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariate regression analyses. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The results showed that 67.9% were females, 26.4% were medical students, and 35.9% were in their 3rd year. Overall, 40% of the participants held high levels of knowledge and attitudes. Further, 63.9% of participants had good practices toward HBV. Gender, year of study, encountering HBV patients, college, and having extra HBV courses were associated with high levels of KAP. This study demonstrated insufficient knowledge and attitudes toward HBV; however, the practice level toward HBV among healthcare students was promising. Therefore, public health efforts should modify the knowledge and attitude gaps to reinforce awareness and minimize the risk of infection.

Assessment of Knowledge, Stigmatizing Attitudes and Health-Seeking Behaviors Regarding Hepatitis B Virus Infection in a Pharmacy and Community Setting in Sierra Leone: A Cross-Sectional Study

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major global health challenge. Emerging evidence suggests that poor knowledge and stigma are impacting HBV control efforts in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but their role is not well understood. We conducted a cross-sectional study of adults aged ≥18 years in a community and pharmacy setting in Freetown, Sierra Leone. A structured questionnaire was used to assess knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes and health-seeking behaviors regarding HBV. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of HBV knowledge and related stigma. A total of 306 adult participants were enrolled (50.7% male, 7.5% HBV positive and 11.7% vaccinated). Overall, 52.2% had good HBV knowledge and 49.3% expressed a stigmatizing attitude towards people with HBV. Notwithstanding, 72.2% stated they would receive the HBV vaccine if offered, 80.4% would take anti-HBV medication and 78.8% would be willing to attend clinic regularly. Good HBV knowledge was associated with HBV positive status (aOR 4.41; p = 0.029) and being vaccinated against HBV (aOR 3.30; p = 0.034). HBV-related stigma was associated with secondary or higher level of education (aOR 2.36; p < 0.001), good HBV knowledge (aOR 2.05; p = 0.006) and pharmacy setting (aOR 1.74, p = 0.037). These findings suggest that education and stigma reduction may benefit HBV elimination efforts in SSA.

Knowledge and Attitude Related to Hepatitis C among Medical Students in the Oral Direct Acting Antiviral Agents Era in Vietnam

BACKGROUND

Medical students play important frontline roles in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of hepatitis C. This study investigated knowledge and attitudes toward hepatitis C among 5th- and 6th-year medical students and possible associated factors.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2000 students from eight medical universities using a self-administered structured questionnaire.

RESULTS

The mean knowledge and attitude scores for hepatitis C were 20.1 ± 4.0 (out of 26) and 10.6 ± 2.9 (out of 20), respectively. Approximately, three-quarters (74.4%) of the participants had a good knowledge score, but only a small proportion (3.1%) obtained a good attitude score. Although the participants had fairly high knowledge about the causes, consequences, and transmission routes of hepatitis C, there were important gaps in their knowledge about hepatitis C screening and treatment. In multivariate analysis, female students, 5th-year students, and students from the central provinces had significantly higher knowledge and attitude scores. There was a low positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores.

CONCLUSION

This study points out the need to update the medical training curriculum to improve the knowledge and attitude of students about hepatitis C infection.

Hepatitis B among University Population: Prevalence, Associated Risk Factors, Knowledge Assessment, and Treatment Management

Background: Very few studies have been reported on hepatitis B in the State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, and none of them are specific to the prevalence and causes of hepatitis B spread among educational institutes. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B infection and its associated risk factors among the University of AJ and K population. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study was conducted with 7015 students and employees. Hepatitis B was detected by rapid immunochromatographic tests (ICTs), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and real-time quantitative PCR. A questionnaire and interview method was used to assess the disease knowledge and associated risk factors with hepatitis B through Chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, and paired t-test. Results: Of the participants, 150 (2.13%) were found positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen (57.3% male and 42.7% female). Only 0.3% participants were found fully vaccinated against the hepatitis B virus. Among ethnic groups, the Syed tribe was found more prevalent for hepatitis B infection (40.6%), while use of contaminated mourning blades (95% CI: p = 0.0001) was found as an overlooked risk factor. Hepatitis preventive awareness sessions were found to be very significant (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: The study showed that an overlooked risk factor is playing a key role in the spread of HBV in a tribe living worldwide, which must be addressed globally to eradicate hepatitis B. In Pakistan, a country-wide annual HBV vaccination program should be launched to control hepatitis B.

Analysis of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Hepatitis B Among Freshmen in Jiangsu Based on Lasso-Logistic Regression and Structural Equation Model

Objective

We aimed to describe the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) status of hepatitis B virus (HBV) among freshmen who were in the class of 2020 and from Jiangsu Province.

Methods

A random multistage sampling had been used to screen freshmen to conduct online questionnaire. The chi-square test was applied for pairwise comparison between sub-groups. Lasso regression and logistic regression were used to analyze the influencing factors of KAP about HBV. A structural equation model was established to explore the relationships among KAP of HBV.

Results

The total awareness rate of HBV among freshmen was 63.1%. More than 50% of freshmen reported that they were not willing to live with hepatitis B carriers. Only 51.0% of students had been immunized against HBV. The knowledge of HBV among students whose fathers had college/bachelor degree or above was 1.464 times higher than those whose fathers’ education level was junior high school or below (95% CI = 1.277~1.677). Both of positive attitude and behavior among female students were 1.424 times (95% CI = 1.329~1.525) and 1.468 times (95% CI = 1.291~1.669) than that within male students, respectively. The positive behaviors of students whose mothers had college education or above were 1.347 times higher than those whose mothers had the degree of junior high or below (95% CI = 1.147~1.582). Students who living with their parents were 1.167 times likely to have positive behaviors than those who living in other methods (95% CI = 1.020~1.334). The structural equation model had shown that the direct effect of knowledge on preventive motivation, attitude and behavior was 0.28, 0.53 and 0.10, respectively.

Conclusion

The population of freshmen still was far from a comprehensive understanding of HBV prevention and treatment. It is suggested that administrators of colleges and universities should pay more attentions to education of HBV knowledge as well as take multi-channel measures for prevention and management.

Knowledge of hepatitis B among healthy population in community

Hepatitis B is the world’s most common blood‑borne viral infection, accounting for 2 billion infections, 350 million carriers, and 6 lakh deaths annually. Aim of the paper is to determine the level of knowledge among healthy population in North Macedonia regarding Hepatitis B virus infection. Material and methods: A community‑based cross‑sectional study was undertaken. Questionnaire was administered to 600 healthy individuals, who heard about hepatitis B. Data handled and analyzed by using statistical package SPSS. Results: The profile of those who give the correct answer regarding the cause of hepatitis B that it is a virus are women (65.3%), aged 40 to 49 (42.8%), by nationality are Macedonian, have higher education (52.8%), 92.8% live in urban areas, 74.3% are married, employed (79.2%) and have a moderate monthly income (68.9). About one‑third of the sample said that loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting also associated with hepatitis B. There is a significant difference in knowledge related to early (prodromal) (symptoms such as cold and flu - fever, runny nose, cough) symptoms of hepatitis infection. Only 17.7% give the correct answer that they register, and 81.7% do not. Jaundice is one of the common symptoms of hepatitis, 32.2% give the correct answer, and 25.8% of the symptoms that are present and common are nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. Conclusions: Important knowledge deficits about the routes of hepatitis B transmission/prevention were identified. Continued efforts should be made to develop and implement hepatitis B educational campaigns/health promotion for these communities.

Levels and Predictors of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding the Health Hazards Associated With Barber's Profession in Fiji

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the level and predictors of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) among barbers regarding health hazards associated with their profession in Fiji. Methods: A quantitative study was used to assess the levels and predictors of KAP using a structured questionnaire among 117 barbers who were chosen between June and November 2020 in Suva, Fiji. All those barbershops that operated at least for 6 months, were licensed, and 18 years and above were included. A self-administrative closed-ended structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The level of KAP was assessed using the modified Bloom’s cut-off points. A correlation test was used to determine predictors of KAP. Results: The majority of participants had a medium level of knowledge (62.4%), medium level of attitude (63.2%), and low level of practice (64.1%) towards health hazards associated with barbering the profession. However, 28.2% had low knowledge and attitude scores. The major source of knowledge was through the internet. The results of the correlation test showed that religion, education level, and weekly income were significantly correlated with knowledge (<.05) whereas age and weekly income was significantly correlated with the level of attitude of participants towards health hazards associated with their profession (<.05). Conclusion: Barbers had medium knowledge and attitude towards health hazards associated with the barbering profession while their practice was poor. These findings call for prompt and target group interventions such as strengthening enforcement, awareness, training on equipment decontamination and Good Hygiene Practices to be conducted.

Exploration of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Among Residents of Saudi Arabia Toward Hepatitis Viruses

Background and aim: Data available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) about public knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) toward viral hepatitis infection are scarce. Such information is essential for designing effective intervention strategies for the prevention and control of viral hepatitis. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice among residents of KSA toward hepatitis viruses. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 549 participants in Saudi Arabia. An electronic questionnaire (in Arabic) was used to measure the KAP of the participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23 at significance level of .05. Results: Most of the 549 participants were Saudi citizens (96%; n = 527) and 26.6% (n = 146) of them were males and mostly from the western Saudi Arabia (72.9%; n = 400). Most participants did not hear about hepatitis viruses and showed low level of knowledge on viral hepatitis (42%). On the other hand, a positive attitude was apparent from participants' responses, and their practices were toward protecting their bodies from the infection. Conclusion: The level of knowledge about viral hepatitis was low (42%) among KSA residents, and the practice and attitude of the participants were toward avoiding the infection. Awareness campaigns are required to increase the public knowledge about viral hepatitis.