Abstract
Hepatitis B infection remains a public health threat associated with undesirable statistics of morbidity and mortality. Good knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of hepatitis B infection (HBI) prevention are essential for HBI control. However, there is limited evidence concerning the KAP of HBI prevention among nursing students, who are significantly exposed to HBI. We assessed the KAP of HBI prevention and the factors associated with the practice of HBI prevention among nursing students in the Upper West Region of Ghana. We administered an online cross-sectional survey in November 2020 to a stratified random sample of 402 nursing students in two nursing training colleges in the Upper West Region. Using STATA version 13, we computed composite scores of KAP of HBI prevention with maximum scores of 18 for knowledge and 8 each for attitude and practice. A generalised ordered logistic regression model was run to assess the factors associated with the practice of HBI prevention. The students had moderate median scores for knowledge (12.00; IQR = 10-13) and attitude (6.00; IQR = 5.00-7.00) but a poor median score (5.00; IQR = 4.00-6.00) for the practice of HBI prevention. High knowledge (aOR = 2.05; p = 0.06), good attitude, being a male, second year student and having parents with tertiary education were significantly associated with higher likelihoods (aOR >1; p < 0.05) of demonstrating good practice of HBI prevention. Students who had never married were significantly (aOR = 0.34; p = 0.010) less likely to exhibit good practice of HBI prevention. The KAP scores of HBI prevention among the students were sub-optimal. We recommend institution-based policies and regular education on HBI prevention, free/subsidised HBI prevention services, and the enforcement of proper professional ethics on HBI prevention in nursing training colleges. Such interventions should predominantly target female, non-married and first year nursing students.
Highlights
Hepatitis B infection remains a public health threat associated with undesirable statistics of morbidity and mortality
High knowledge, good attitude, being a male, second year student and having parents with tertiary education were significantly associated with higher likelihoods of demonstrating good practice of hepatitis B infection (HBI) prevention
Hepatitis B infection is a contagious disease of the liver, caused by the partial double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid hepatitis B virus (HBV) and transmitted from an infected mother to her child at birth, through needle stick injuries (NSI), unsterilised surgical instruments, exposure to infected blood and bodily fluids, and sexual intercourse [1]
Summary
Hepatitis B infection remains a public health threat associated with undesirable statistics of morbidity and mortality. Attitude and practice (KAP) of hepatitis B infection (HBI) prevention are essential for HBI control. There is limited evidence concerning the KAP of HBI prevention among nursing students, who are significantly exposed to HBI.
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