Abstract
BackgroundAlthough the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was reported to be higher in military personnel than the general population in Saudi Arabia (SA), there is lack of studies assessing HBV awareness among them. The objective was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of HBV infection among military personnel.MethodsAn intervention design with pre- and post-education KAP questionnaire was completed among National Guard soldiers working in Jeddah during January 2009. Educational intervention was provided through educational leaflets, group and individual discussions, visual show, and a lecture. A score was created from the correct answers to 58 questions.ResultsA total of 400 male soldiers with mean age 30.7 ± 6.1 years completed both questionnaires. The majority had school education (96.8%) and in the lower military ranks (66.0%). Only 19.5% of soldiers reported HBV vaccine intake. The low median and inter-quartile range of the pre-intervention score (16, 6–26) markedly increased after education (to 53, 50–55, p<0.001). The overall improvement of mean KAP score (204%) was also observed in all its component scores; disease nature (272%), methods of transmission (206%), prevention and control (109%), attitude (155%), and practice (192%). The improvement was evident irrespective of socio-demographic characteristics and history of HBV vaccine. KAP scores were significantly associated with higher educational levels, higher monthly income, administrative jobs, and higher job ranks.ConclusionWe are reporting a low level of HBV awareness among Saudi military population. The study confirms the need and effectiveness of focused multifaceted educational campaigns among the military population.
Highlights
The risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was reported to be higher in military personnel than the general population in Saudi Arabia (SA), there is lack of studies assessing HBV awareness among them
The current study examined KAP of HBV infection among military personnel before and after educational intervention among SA National Guard (SANG) soldiers
Common methods of HBV transmission such as blood transfusion, sexual intercourse, and childbirth acknowledged by our population before educational intervention were limited (58%, 40%, and 30%, respectively) and were comparable to those reported by Saudi dental patients (50-52%, 32-38%, and 33-41%, respectively)
Summary
The risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was reported to be higher in military personnel than the general population in Saudi Arabia (SA), there is lack of studies assessing HBV awareness among them. The objective was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of HBV infection among military personnel. Viral hepatitis, especially those caused by HBV, represents a worldwide significant cause of morbidity and mortality [1,2]. According to the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) data, viral hepatitis was ranked the second most common reportable viral disease after chickenpox, with more than 5000 new cases diagnosed in 2009 [4]. A multicultural coastal city, reported new HBV infections, the risk level being 50% higher than any other city in SA [4]
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