Knowledge, attitudes and practice of primary health care physicians towards hepatitis B virus in Al-Jouf province, Saudi Arabia.

Ahmad H Al-Hazmi

doi:10.1186/1756-0500-7-288

Abstract

BackgroundPrimary health care (PHC) physicians will be in the forefront of managing hepatitis B (HBV) patients. In Saudi Arabia, very little is known about knowledge, attitudes, and practice of PHC physicians towards HBV. This study aimed to assess the same parameters.MethodsDuring April 2012, a cross-sectional survey of 180 practitioners aged 38.1 ± 10.3 years was carried out in the primary health care centers (PHCCs) in AlJouf Province of Saudi Arabia. The physicians were asked to fill a valid questionnaire containing their sociodemographic data, and well-modified questions regarding their knowledge base, attitudes, and practice towards HBV. Data was processed and analyzed using SPSS (version 17) program, the level of significance was set at P < 0.05.ResultResponse rate 88.3% yielded 159 questionnaires for analysis. Majority of the physicians surveyed 128 (80.6%) believed that PHC physicians are capable to achieve a major role in the management of HBV. 119 (74.8%) physicians surveyed were willing to manage HBV patients and 127 (79.9%) believed that vaccination is the most effective means to prevent HBV. There was a statistical significant correlation between physicians’ qualifications and continuity of care for HBV patients (32.8% vs 23.4%; p = 0.006), while continuality of care was more frequent among physicians with higher degrees compared to graduate physicians. Only 69 (43.4%) physicians were able to interpret HBV seromarkers. The vast majority of the physicians 142 (89.3%) were willing to subscribe in regular training programs about HBV.ConclusionSuitable attitudes with lack of knowledge are found, and practice of our physicians with regard to this significant health issue appeared inappropriate. More education focusing on HBV is recommended.

Highlights

Primary health care (PHC) physicians will be in the forefront of managing hepatitis B (HBV) patients
Study design and setting A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on physicians practicing at primary health care centers (PHCCs) in AlJouf province of Saudi Arabia
When asked about what would they do if a patient with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) presents to their office, we found only 30.8% (n = 45) of the physicians responded that they will achieve continuity of care for HBV; whereas 62.9% (n = 100) of the participants will refer HBV immediately or later to the specialists

Summary

Introduction

Primary health care (PHC) physicians will be in the forefront of managing hepatitis B (HBV) patients. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) represents important, yet clinically silent public health significance worldwide [1]. World health organization (WHO) data estimate serologic evidence of past or present HBV infection among two billion persons globally, while over 350 million people are carriers of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) worldwide [1,2]. Chronic infection with HBV causes death associated with cirrhosis, liver failure, or hepatocellular carcinoma, and has a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) [2,3,4]. HBV ranks second, after tobacco, on the list of known carcinogenic agents affecting humans and the tenth leading cause of death globally [5,6]. Costs associated with HBV are substantial; it creates a significant economic burden to the health care services [1,4,7]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion