Health Communication and Behavioural Practice towards Ending Hepatitis B Virus in Southwest Nigeria.

Evaristus Adesina,Davies Adeloye,Hezekiah Falola,Babatunde Adeyeye,Tolulope Kayode-Adedeji,Darlynton Yartey,Daiji Endoh

doi:10.1155/2020/4969687

Evaristus Adesina, Davies Adeloye + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/4969687

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Abstract

Responding to the international call for strategic information to understand viral hepatitis, this study investigated the health communication practice on hepatitis B virus in Southwest Nigeria. Existing studies on HBV in Nigeria have primarily concentrated on health practitioners and their patients while neglecting detailed empirical data on semiurban and urban demographic information. This study examines health communication channels as predictors of knowledge, attitude, and behavioural practices with an emphasis on three Southwest states (Lagos, Oyo, and Ogun) in Nigeria that have the highest prevalence rate of HBV. Data were gathered through a survey from a total of 600 respondents of Southwest Nigeria randomly selected through the multistage sampling technique. The hypotheses were tested with the use of multiple regression. The result reveals that health communication channels for hepatitis B virus management had a significant influence on knowledge (F = 12.708, Df = 581, P < 0.05, Sig. at 0.000), attitude (F = 3.430, Df = 581, P < 0.05, Sig. at 0.000), and preventive practices (F = 11.075, Df = 581, P < 0.05, Sig. at 0.000) of residents of Southwest Nigeria, respectively. The study concludes that health communication channels such as the television, Internet, radio, newspaper, and health workers positively influence the behavioural practices of residents of Southwest Nigeria. The study recommends the development of a nationwide communication system on HBV targeted at putting an end to the disease in line with the 2030 global elimination objective of Sustainable Development Goal 3.

Highlights

Academic Editor: Daiji Endoh e study recommends the development of a nationwide communication system on hepatitis B virus (HBV) targeted at putting an end to the disease in line with the 2030 global elimination objective of Sustainable Development Goal 3
Responding to the international call for strategic information to understand viral hepatitis, this study investigated the health communication practice on hepatitis B virus in Southwest Nigeria
Going by the P value of the standardised regression weights, the Internet has helped in providing effective information on hepatitis B virus. is means that of all the health communication channels listed, the Internet makes the most substantial contribution in explaining residents’ knowledge on HBV than the other variables. e second hypothesis was stated in the null format that health communication channels for HBV management have no significant effect on the attitude of residents of Southwest Nigeria. e F value shows 3.430 at 0.000b, thereby making the null hypothesis to be rejected

Summary

Introduction

Academic Editor: Daiji Endoh e study recommends the development of a nationwide communication system on HBV targeted at putting an end to the disease in line with the 2030 global elimination objective of Sustainable Development Goal 3. Communication of vital messages to varied and specific audiences has proven to effectively influence the knowledge, attitude, and belief of people towards healthy behavioural choices [6, 7]. Such successes are evident in endemic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria [8], and polio [9, 10]. E World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that over 325 million people were living with HBV globally, with this accounting for 1.34 million yearly mortality rates from acute infection and hepatitis-related liver cancer and cirrhosis [12]. In the submission of Ott et al [17], HBV records a high mortality rate, both from acute infection and chronic disease conditions, and is positioned among the top ten killer diseases globally. e World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that over 325 million people were living with HBV globally, with this accounting for 1.34 million yearly mortality rates from acute infection and hepatitis-related liver cancer and cirrhosis [12]. ese estimates were similar to that of HIV and tuberculosis, estimated at 1.1 million deaths and 1.4 million deaths in 2016, respectively [12]

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