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Background: Globally, 296 million people were infected by hepatitis B in 2019, with 1.1 million deaths. Africa is one of the endemic regions. Good knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B remain pivotal to the biosafety of medical students. This study sought to determine the levels of knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B among students of Pamo University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and the predicting factors associated with this knowledge and awareness. The is with the aim of providing recommendations for improving and sustaining biosafety levels for medical and other health-related students of the University. Methodology: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional design conducted amongst 528 randomly selected medical students of PUMS, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were interviewer-administered to collect socio-demographic information and participants' responses to questions on knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B. Data were analysed using SPSS version 26.0 and relationships of socio-demographic characteristics and predictive factors with knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B were tested using binary logistic regression analysis with p value for statistical significance set at <0.05. Results: A total of 528 students participated in the study, 202 (38.3%) males and 326 (61.7%) females. Most participants (296, 56.1%) were between 15-19 years of age with mean age of 19 ±2.43 years. The mean (±SD) of participants responses with good knowledge of hepatitis B was 249±121.5 while for good awareness, it was 181±88.3. The percentage average for good knowledge and good awareness was 47.2% and 34.2% respectively, with positive correlation between knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B (r=0.720, p<0.0001). Age was significantly associated with participants percentage average knowledge (OR=0.77, 95% CI 0.70-0.84, p<0.0001) and awareness of hepatitis B (OR=0.84, 95%CI 0.78-0.90, p=0.004). No other factor was significantly associated with knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B except Ijaw tribe (OR=0.4, 95%CI 0.24-0.66, p=0.034) and attendance of Federal Government College (OR=0.4, 95% CI 0.24-0.68, p=0.046). Conclusion: The percentage average good knowledge of 47.2% and awareness of 34.2% for hepatitis B in this study are low, although most participants in the study were between the ages of 15-19 years and in their first and second year of study. This gives room for improvement in knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B with progression in age and year of training. Good knowledge and awareness of hepatitis B are central to the biosafety of medical students. It is recommended that the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) review the current medical school curriculum to increase the teaching of medical and health-related students that will impact more on knowledge and awareness of infectious diseases and infection prevention and control.
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Male , Female , Schools, Medical , Awareness , Hepatitis B , Universities , KnowledgeABSTRACT
Context: Severe acute respiratory coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS-COVID-19) is a novel worldwide pandemic. Health care workers (HCWs) are at high risk of contacting the infection. Objective: To determine the knowledge, awareness and perceptions of HCWs towards COVID-19 in Southern Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire study carried out between May 2020 and July 2020. Healthcare workers responded to questions covering their sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of transmission, cure and outcome of COVID-19. Other questions asked were their perception about contacting the disease, and their facility preparedness to handle the pandemic. Data was analysed using Stata version 13. Results: A total of 366 healthcare workers completed the questionnaires. The mean age of respondents was 35.2 years. There were 209 (57.1%) males. Majority (44.5%) of the respondents were doctors. The top three symptoms identified by respondents were cough (97%), fever (92.9%) and sore throat (88%). Three hundred and sixty-four (99.5%) respondents had good level of knowledge of COVID -19. Two hundred and ninety (79.2%) of the respondents were worried about contacting COVID-19. Two hundred and thirty-five (64.2%) respondents said their facilities were not prepared to manage COVID-19 cases. Areas of concern were the absence of test kits and sample materials (70.5%), lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) (67.2%) and lack of dedicated intensive care units with ventilators (62%). Conclusion: There was good knowledge of COVID-19 among HCWs. However, there was a high degree of anxiety of contacting COVID-19 among HCWs and concerns about a general lack of preparedness for COVID-19 management. We therefore recommend the adequate provision of PPE and improved testing.
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Humans , Male , Female , Perception , Health Personnel , Knowledge , COVID-19 , NigeriaABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Knowledge and awareness of breast cancer and screening practices are important for the prevention and early detection of the disease. This study evaluated the knowledge and awareness among female schoolteachers of breast cancer risk factors and symptoms. Method: A survey was conducted at two selected government schools in the Rathnapura district, using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 117 teachers participated in this study. The most frequently identified risk factor was the family history (76.1%), while having large breasts was recognised as a risk factor by 24.8% participants. Most of the teachers identified a lump in the breast as a symptom of breast cancer (94.9%), and the least recognised symptom was nipple retraction (51.3%). The obtained mean knowledge scores were 7.18 ± 1.95 (out of 10) for symptoms and 5.53 ± 2.24 (out of 9) for risk factors. No significant associations (p > 0.05) were found between participant demographic characteristics and knowledge and awareness of breast cancer risk factors and symptoms in this study. Conclusion: The majority of participants had adequate knowledge and awareness of breast cancer symptoms but average knowledge and awareness of risk factors. Therefore, the results highlight the importance of implementing educational programmes for schoolteachers to enhance their knowledge and awareness of risk factors for breast cancer.
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@#Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a group of disease which are related to the heart and its circulations. The main modifiable risk factors of the CVD disease are hypertension, hyperglycemia and obesity. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, awareness and practice on cardiovascular disease risk factors among Gombak community in Kuala Lumpur. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaire and anthropometric measurement among 388 subjects in Gombak District, Kuala Lumpur. Descriptive data analysis and multivariate binary logistic regression were carried to identify demographic and factors associated. Results: The prevalence of the risk factors was high among study subjects, including obesity (24.2%), hypertension (42.3%) and hyperglycemia (26.8%). More than half (64.4%) of the study subjects having at least one of the risk factor. The multivariate binary logistic model factor illustrated that compare to Malays, Chinese were 37% less likely to have obesity (CPR=0.67; 95% Cl: 0.26-1.69). Gombak district community are more likely to have the knowledge on the CVD risk factor but lack of awareness and poor in practicing the prevention action. The Indian ethnic group was less likely to be aware (APR: 0.33, Cl: 0.05-2.31) and others bumiputera ethnic group were less likely to prevent (APR: 0.58, CI: 0.20-1.65) the risk of CVD. The Chinese ethnic less likely to have the knowledge (APR: 0.88, Cl: 0.35-2.22). Conclusion: Gombak community was more likely to have the knowledge but less likely to be aware and lack of practice of prevention of the risk factors of CVD.
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Objective To understand the status of awareness of hand hygiene(HH)knowledge and compliance among health care workers (HCWs)in China,and provide scientific basis for further improvement of HH practice. Methods A multi-centre retrospective survey on awareness of HH knowledge and compliance was conducted in 200 nationwide hospitals in 2015.Results The awareness rates of HH methods and HH indications among HCWs were 86.5% and 82.5% respectively;cleaning staff had the lowest awareness rate of HH indications(69.9%),followed by the other interns and advanced-study students (70.2%),as well as medical technicians (79.8%);attendants had the lowest awareness rate of HH methods(76.9%),followed by advanced-study students and interns(81.0%),and cleaning staff (82.4%);HH knowledge awareness rate among HCWs in secondary hospitals was lower than tertia-ry hospitals,and the district-level hospitals had the lowest awareness rate of HH.HH compliance rate and correct rate were 70.1% and 74.9% respectively;the interns and advanced-study students were at a low level of compliance and correct rates (61.4% and 60.9% respectively);the municipal hospitals had the lowest compliance and correct rates,non-teaching hospitals were lower than teaching hospitals.Conclusion HH in primary hospitals is weak,HH of interns,advanced-study students,as well as attendants and cleaning staffs are not enough,HH management should be strengthened,awareness and compliance of HH should be improved.
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Objectives To explore status of health prevention knowledge awareness and the formation of healthy behaviors of community residents in Guagzhou and provide evidence for health-management-related departments to put forward pertinent intervention strategies. Methods A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 2 790 community residents in Guangzhou by multistage stratified random sampling. Results The awareness rate of residents′ basic health prevention knowledge was 78.14%, the awareness rate of key knowledge was 74.77%, the rate of health behavior formation was 48.14%. The rate of women′s behavior formation was higher than that of men′s. The awareness rate of basic knowledge among the residents aged over 50 years was lower than that that among those aged less than 50 years , but the awareness rate of key knowledge and behavior formation rate were higher. The level of knowledge awareness and the rate of behavior formation rate of urban residents were higher than those of rural residents and migrants. The knowledge awareness and behavior formationi were positively correlated with degree with statistically significant difference (P < 0.01). Conclusions The health belief and behavior of the community residents should be cultivated and strengthened , the basic prevention knowledge should be made universal for middle-aged and old people , the health education of key prevention knowledge should be strengthened for the middle-aged and young people , the public health services should be made more open and equal further promoted, and the community comprehensive intervention focusing on the health education should be strengthened.
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@#Objective To investigate the awareness of knowledge about stroke rehabilitation in medical professionals in Gansu. Methods 520 professionals of neurology, neurosurgery, and others from 10 hospitals of different level were investigated with questionnaire. Results The awareness of the knowledge about stroke rehabilitation was different with the gender (χ2=17.50), education levels (χ2=66.35), professional levels (χ2=16.81), specialities (χ2=124.39) and duties (χ2=29.99) of the professionals (P<0.05). Conclusion It is necessary to improve the education of rehabilitation in hospitals.