Evaluation of the rate of knowledge of health care workers toward hepatitis B at Mashhad Dental School in Autumn 2003

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis B is a primary viral infection of liver which is of high importance, clinically as well as socioeconomically, due to its capacity in producing chronic state. One of its significant routes of transmission is blood and contaminated fluids, items and surfaces with blood. Since health care workers are always in touch with patient's blood and their blood contaminated secretions, they are considered as high risk groups. Thus, their knowledgibility toward hepatitis B and its routes of transmission is important. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge rate of health care workers [apart from dentists] toward hepatitis B at Mashhad Dental School. In this descriptive study, all of the health care workers apart from dentists at Mashhad dental school were given a questionnaire concerning hepatitis B complications, its routes of transmission and methods of prevention. Totally, 170 questionnaires were analysed using SPSS statistical software. The nurses had the highest rate of knowledge. 16.6% had an agreeable knowledge about routes of transmission, 33/3% about complications and 50% about the methods of prevention. The servants had the lowest rate of knowledge, more than 90% of whom had little or very little knowledge about routes of transmission, complications and prevention methods [94%, 93% and 95/5% respectively]. None of them had an agreeable knowledge state about any of the studied variables of hepatitis B. This study revealed that the rate of knowledge increased with level of education. The nurses had the highest education and rate of knowledge and the servants had the lowest education and rate of knowledge. Although health care workers were more knowledgable about preventive methods than complications and transmission routes, a number of them had not been vaccinated against hepatitis B. This implies that the health care workers commitment toward hepatitis B is not at an agreeable state and necessitates continuous educational strategies as well as supervision over their practice