RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess school teachers' level of knowledge on prevention of viral hepatitis (VH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three cities of Brazil, from August to November of 1999. The sample was composed of 360 subjects: 334 women and 26 men, 81 (22.5 percent) from Belém, 123 (34.2 percent) from Natal and 156 (43.3 percent) from Rio de Janeiro. Cultural differences in knowledge were identified using a questionnaire to classify, according to semantic content, categories of transmission and preventive practices. Responses were scored as right or wrong. Data were tabulated and analyzed using EPIINFO 6.04 and open answers were classified according to semantic content. Comparison of the answer frequencies between cities was done through the chi-square test. RESULTS: Transmission category (TC) (n=837 answers) and prevention category (PC) (n=771 answers) "food-and waterborne" transmission items were the most frequently mentioned (40 percent). For TC, "food-and waterborne" answers were followed by "bloodborne" (16 percent), "inadequate knowledge" (9 percent), "possible causes of hepatic disease" (9 percent), and "sexual transmission" (7 percent) answers. For PC items, "food-and waterborne" answers were followed by "general aspects of prevention" (13 percent), "immunization" (9 percent), "quality of health services" (8 percent) and "sexual prevention" (5 percent) items. "Right" scores for transmission mechanisms and prevention practices varied from zero to 80 percent. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that investments should be made to disseminate appropriate knowledge on VH prevention, mainly addressing sexual transmission and intravenous drug use