Knowledge and educational intervention pertaining to viral hepatitis in adolescent male students of urban and rural Sindh, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

In Pakistan, collective infection rate of hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg] and anti-hepatitis C virus [HCV] is 7.6% where as their prevalence are 2.5% and 5% respectively. Most commonly occurring viral hepatitis is hepatitis C, closely followed by hepatitis B and in males both are common, with hepatitis B seen earlier than hepatitis C. A cross sectional study was conducted on 585 adolescent college boys. Respondents were interviewed after informed consent and ensuring confidentiality. An anonymous questionnaire of close ended questions was completed followed by an educational intervention session. Knowledge regarding types of viral hepatitis was known to 11% urban and 22% rural respondents, while 75% from Karachi and 84% from interior Sindh had awareness that hepatitis B and C are infectious diseases. About 58% urban respondents knew that hepatitis B can develop cirrhosis and lead to liver cancer as compared to 73% rural inhabitants. Knowledge regarding spread of hepatitis B and C by transfusing infected blood or blood products or injury by infected sharp or tattooing/ body piercing was known to 43.5% from Karachi and 40% from interior Sindh. About 45% urban and 19% rural respondents were vaccinated for hepatitis B and reasons for not being vaccinated were non awareness and cost of vaccine. Knowledge regarding all aspects of disease was surprisingly better in the rural than urban population. Low vaccination status makes adolescents vulnerable to hepatitis. It is crucial to generate understanding about the disease in general and vaccination for hepatitis B in particular