Knowledge and Awareness of Hepatitis B Infection Among Young Adults in Ekiti, Nigeria: Implications for Education and Vaccination.

Abstract

Aim Hepatitis B is a preventable infection with transmission of the virus through sex, by blood and from mother to child during childbirth. Youngadults are prone to some of these risk factors, yet data on awareness and knowledge of hepatitis B among them is still limited in Nigeria and none from our locality. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B among young adults attending a tertiary health institution in Nigeria with the aim of givingrecommendations based on the findings. Methods A total of 223 young adults who attended the adolescent and young adult clinic of the Family Medicine Department of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti between 1March and 31May2023 were analyzed using a predesigned self-administered questionnaire. Knowledge of hepatitis B was assessed by asking 12 questions relating to awareness of the disease, basic knowledge, route of transmission, the seriousness of the disease when compared to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), complications from the disease, their vaccination status and the number of doses received by the participants. Results The prevalence of awareness of hepatitis B among respondents was 88 (39.5%). Of the223 respondents studied, 158 (70.9%) had a poor knowledge scoreof the disease. There was a significant association between the highest educational background of the respondents and awareness of hepatitis B (p=0.05). Awareness of hepatitis B was also associated withprevious participation in any health screening (p=0.04) and vaccine awareness (p=<0.001). The majority of the respondents with good knowledge scores of hepatitis B preferred social media for disseminating information about their health (p=0.03). Out of all the participants studied, only one(0.4%) had completed the three doses of the hepatitis B vaccine with 11 (4.9%) of them yet to get fully vaccinated. Conclusion Efforts are needed to target social media platforms with information about hepatitis B and vaccination. With awareness campaigns of hepatitis B directed at various social media platforms, this population at risk couldbe educated about the disease and the benefits of vaccination. The low vaccination state among the respondents brought to the fore the urgent need for the government to ensure the provision of appropriate interventions for viral hepatitis among young adults.