Knowledge, Awareness, and Vaccination Compliance of Hepatitis B among Para-Medical Students in Tertiary Care Hospital

Alpa S. Patel; Sangita Rajdev; Summaiya A. Mullan

doi:10.21276/apalm.3781

Authors

Alpa S. Patel Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College Surat, Surat, Gujarat, India
Sangita Rajdev Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College Surat, Surat, Gujarat, India
Summaiya A. Mullan Department of Microbiology, Government Medical College Surat, Surat, Gujarat, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21276/apalm.3781

Keywords:

blood transfusion, cirrhosis, hepatitis B virus, liver cancer, vaccination

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare professionals are more likely to contract hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. Hepatitis B is the most dangerous of them and is also quite contagious. One important preventive measure is to be immunized. Aim & Objective: The purpose of this study is to measure the anti-HbsAb titer among the nursing, laboratory technician, intern and Physiotherapy students of tertiary care hospital. To evaluate knowledge, practice and attitude of them about Hepatitis B & importance of its vaccination.

Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. A predesigned self-administered questionnaire (via Google form) concerning hepatitis B knowledge and awareness was distributed to all the Para-medical students. The data were collected, tabulated, and analyzed by Microsoft Excel version 10. The results were expressed in numbers and percentages. Anti-HbsAb titers were estimated by Enzyme Immunoassay (ELISA) kit.

Results: Only 76 students voluntarily participated in the study. Majority of the students (77.1%) were aware of HBV infection. Many students knew that blood transfusion (89.4%) and use of contaminated needles and syringes (96%) are major modes of transmission. However, the students had good knowledge about other modes of transmission. More than 50% of the students lacked in their knowledge about clinical features and complications of hepatitis B infection. Majority of students (93.4%) were aware of HBV vaccination. However, 11.8% students did not know their vaccination status, 53.1% students show protective hepatitis vaccine antibody titer after two or three doses of vaccine.

Conclusions: This study found that paramedical students have good knowledge on hepatitis B, still only 14% students are fully vaccinated. Proper documentation of such important event must be there as in cases where they might get exposed to positive cases this information is useful for taking therapeutic decision.

References

1. World Health Organization (WHO): Hepatitis B key facts: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-b.

2. Ketha V, Kolli P, Koppolu R et al. Awareness of hepatitis B Infection Among second-year Undergraduate medical students and their vaccination status. International Journal of Academic Medicine and Pharmacy. 2023;5(5):1138-1141.

3. Dahal K, Rawal L, Shah S et al. Knowledge, attitude and practice towards Hepatitis B vaccination among medical undergraduate students of Maharajgunj Medical Campus in Nepal: a cross-sectional study. Annals of Medicine & Surgery. 2024;86:782–788.

4. Mabunda N, Vieira L, Chelene I, Maueia C, Zicai AF, Duajá A, Chale F, Chambal L, Vubil A, Augusto O. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus and immunity status among healthcare workers in Beira City, Mozambique. PLoS ONE. 2022;17:e0276283.

5. Hebo HJ, Gemeda DH, Abdusemed KA. Hepatitis B and C viral infection: Prevalence, knowledge, attitude, practice, and occupational exposure among healthcare workers of Jimma University Medical Center, southwest Ethiopia. Sci World J. 2019;2019:9482607.

6. Wijayadi T, Sjahril R, Turyadi Ie SI, Wahyuni R, Pattelongi I, Massi MN, Yusuf I, Muljono DH. Seroepidemiology of HBV infection among health-care workers in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. BMC Infect Dis. 2018;18:279.

7. Occupational HBV Post exposure Prophylaxis: https://www.hepatitisB.uw.edu/go/prevention-hbv/postexposure-prophylaxis-following-occupational-exposure-to-hepatitis-b-virus/core-concept/all.

8. Dolman GE, Koffas A, Phipps E, Kennedy PT. Clinical and occupational health management of healthcare workers living with chronic hepatitis B: UK policy and international comparisons. J Viral Hepat. 2021;28:976–981.

9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Updated CDC recommendations for the management of hepatitis B virus infected health-care providers and students. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2012;61:1–12.

10. World Health Organization. Table 4: Summary of WHO Position Papers—Immunization of Health Care Workers. Update March 2023.

11. El Bara A, Pivert A, Veillon P, Sang CN, Bollahi M, Abdel K, Ducancelle A, Le Guillou-Guillemette H, Lunel-Fabiani F. From national HBV and HDV screenings to vaccination and treatment in healthcare workers: The Mauritanian pilot study. Vaccine. 2021;39:2274–2279.

12. Kisangau EN, Awour A, Juma B, Odhiambo D, Muasya T, Kiio SN, Too R, Lowther SA. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection and uptake of hepatitis B vaccine among healthcare workers, Makueni County, Kenya 2017. J Public Health. 2019;41:765–771.

13. Bilounga Ndongo C, Eteki L, Siedner M, Mbaye R, Chen J, Ntone R, Donfack O, Bongwong B, Essaka Evoue R, Zeh F, et al. Prevalence and vaccination coverage of Hepatitis B among healthcare workers in Cameroon: A national Seroprevalence survey. J Viral Hepat. 2018;25:1582–1587.

14. Qin YL, Li B, Zhou YS, Zhang X, Li L, Song B, Liu P, Yuan Y, Zhao ZP, Jiao J, et al. Prevalence and associated knowledge of hepatitis B infection among healthcare workers in Freetown, Sierra Leone. BMC Infect Dis. 2018;18:1–8.

15. Nayyar C, Saksena R, Manchanda V. Prevalence of transfusion-transmitted viral pathogens among health-care workers and risk mitigation programme in a paediatric tertiary care hospital. Indian J Med Microbiol. 2017;35:296–298.

16. Machange RE, Mosha D, Pyuza JJ, Nyombi BB, Shao ER. Seroprevalence and Knowledge of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Laboratory Workers at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in Moshi, Tanzania. East Afr Health Res J. 2017;1:80.

17. Sannathimmappa MB, Nambiar V, Arvindakshan R. Hepatitis B: Knowledge and awareness among preclinical year medical students. Avicenna J Med. 2019;9:43-7.

18. Abdela A, Woldu B, Haile K, Mathewos B, Deressa T. Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices toward prevention of hepatitis B virus infection among students of medicine and health sciences in northwest Ethiopia. BMC Res Notes. 2016;9:410.

19. Sastry AS, Bhat S. Essentials of Medical Microbiology, 4th edition.

20. CDC. Immunization of Health-Care Personnel: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR. 2011;60(RR-7).

21. CDC. Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. MMWR. 2018;67(RR1):1–30.

22. Karimi-Sari H, Bayatpoor ME, Aftabi Khotbesara M, Ebrahimi MS, Sattari Z, Sattari P, et al. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of Iranian health sciences students regarding hepatitis B and C virus infections: A national survey. Am J Infect Control. 2017;45:e135-41.

23. Garg M, Sridhar B, Katyal V, Goyal S. Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) Toward Hepatitis B Infection, Its Prevention, and Vaccination Among Health Care Workers. Cureus. 2023;15(5):e39747. DOI 10.7759/cureus.39747.

24. Anand KB, Mohanty S, Mana V. Seroprevalence of Anti HBs titer in Health-care workers in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai. Journal of Marine Medical Society. 2020;22:54-6.

25. Karaivazoglou K, Triantos C, Lagadinou M, Bikas C, Michailidou M, Kalafateli M, et al. Acceptance of hepatitis B vaccination among health care workers in Western Greece. Arch Environ Occup Health. 2014;69:107–11.

26. World Health Organization, Global Hepatitis Programme. Global hepatitis report, 2017. Accessed July 30, 2021. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/255016/1/9789241565455-eng.pdf.