Knowledge of and risky behaviours towards hepatitis B virus infection among Egyptian school children

Background and study aims: Success in the prevention of hepatitis B virus [HBV] depends to a large extent on the adolescents' HBV knowledge and their risky behaviours. This study aims to assess the knowledge of and the risky behaviours towards HBV among school students and to determine the significant predictors affecting their knowledge

Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was approved in four Egyptian governorates [Dakahleya, Gharbeya, Cairo, and Beni-Suef] on 574 students aged 11-17 years. A questionnaire was filled through a face-to-face interview to collect data about the socio-demographic character, HBV knowledge, and risky behaviours among children who were chosen for this study

Results: While 75% of students had poor levels of HBV knowledge, 1.7% had good levels of knowledge. As regards gender, more than 60% of students shared scissors and went to dental clinic with no significant difference. While boys reported a significant history of hospitalisation [50.2%] and wound stitches [36%], girls reported a lesser degree of the same [40.2% and 22.6, respectively], p < 0.01. During logistic regression analysis, the most important predictors of poor HBV knowledge were age <15 years and living in Cairo governorate, with adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.5 and 5.0, respectively

Conclusion: The majority of students chosen for the study had low levels of knowledge and high risky behaviours towards viral hepatitis. In order to minimise the risky behaviours among adolescents, health education programmes should be conducted concerning the mode of transmission and prevention of viral hepatitis

Knowledge and behavior towards viral hepatitis among Egyptian children, their mothers and pediatricians

Aim of the work was to assess the knowledge and behavior towards viral hepatitis among children, their mothers and pediatricians. It also aimed to determine the risk factors affecting the children's knowledge towards viral hepatitis and to evaluate the effect of the interventional health education program on their knowledge. This study is an interventional cross- sectional study carried out on a sample of 513 children aged 10 to 18 years, their mothers and 89 pediatricians, recruited from health insurance out-patient clinics. A questionnaire was constructed to collect demographic data [age, sex, and socioeconomic status], level of education of child as well as his parents. For the assessment of knowledge towards viral hepatitis, the questionnaire included 26 questions about the types, causative organisms, mode of transmission, symptoms, complications and prevention. It also included questions concerned with the children's behavior towards viral hepatitis as sharing spoons, razors and toothbrushes. The questionnaire was fulfilled by the study researchers through a direct interview with the studied groups. By the end of each day, a health education lecture covering the information included in the questionnaire was held for both, the children and their mothers. the questionnaire was fulfilled once more by the children to evaluate the effect of intervention program of health education. Those who reported <50% of the score were considered to have bad knowledge, 50%-75% fair knowledge and >75% were considered to have a good level of knowledge. The majority of the studied children [70%] and their mothers [100%] were found to have a bad level of knowledge while only 13% of children had a good level of knowledge towards viral hepatitis. As regards the pediatricians, 93.1% had a good level of knowledge while only 2.3% had a bad level. The mean level of knowledge was upgraded significantly among children from 7.8 +/- 7.4 before health education to 12.1 +/- 6.1 for the post test. The level of knowledge was significantly higher among those within the age group 16-18 years and those in secondary schools in the pre and post-tests [p=0.000]. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the younger age of children was the most significant predictor for bad knowledge. As regards the behavior, nearly 3% and 5.6% of the studied children share toothbrushes and shaving razors while none of the pediatricians did. The percentage of vaccinated pediatricians against HAV and HBV vaccination was 15.7% and 64.7% respectively. There was a low level of knowledge towards viral hepatitis especially among children and their mothers. Health education program led to upgrading of their knowledge. More efforts have to be carried out on wide scales in order to raise the level of children's knowledge and consequently their behavior towards viral hepatitis for the prevention of this serious disease.