Abstract
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of acquiring hepatitis virus B infection through occupational exposure. Having adequate knowledge and proper attitudes toward hepatitis B virus infection are crucial for its prevention. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and hepatitis B virus vaccination status of health care workers. A descriptive cross-sectional study among 120 healthcare workers that attended the World Hepatitis B-Day Celebration in June 2018 was undertaken. Data were obtained with a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude towards HBV infection, and practice of hepatitis B vaccination. Commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen. Data were analyzed using computer software SPSS version 22. The prevalence of HBsAg among the subjects was 4.5%. Only 53(47.7%) of the respondents had good knowledge of hepatitis B virus infection. The majority of respondents 91(82.0%) demonstrated a positive attitude towards hepatitis B virus infection and vaccination. Over 30% of respondents were aware of their hepatitis B virus infection status, and 29(26.1%) of them had received the hepatitis B virus vaccine. The major reason for the poor uptake of hepatitis B virus vaccination was not knowing where to get the vaccine in 40(57.1%) of them. Good knowledge of HBV infection had a statistically significant association with the age of respondents and their years of experience (p<0.05). It is recommended that a healthcare worker should be provided with more education and information on hepatitis B virus infection and vaccination. Also, hepatitis B screening and vaccination should be made mandatory as part of the pre-employment exercise of all healthcare workers with follow up screening before any upgrade or promotional examination exercise.
Highlights
H epatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important public health problem that affects about 10% of the world population.[1]
The respondents showed a general poor knowledge of hepatitis B infection which may be because the non-medical staff were involved in addition to doctors and nurses
Administrative staff tends to receive little or no information concerning HBV infection compared to doctors and nurses and might have contributed to poor knowledge observed in this study
Summary
H epatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important public health problem that affects about 10% of the world population.[1]. They acquire this infection through needle stick injuries, using inadequately sterilized medical equipment or contact with non-intact skin and accidental exposure to infected blood and other body fluids.[7,8] It is estimated that about a million HCWs had cut and puncture injuries per year.[9]
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