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Prevalence of HBV Infection and Knowledge of Hepatitis B Among Patients Attending Primary Care Clinics in Poland.
- Source :
- Journal of Community Health; Jun2016, Vol. 41 Issue 3, p635-644, 10p
- Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- It is well known that community awareness of hepatitis B (HB) can lead to vaccination and testing. The study objectives were to assess the prevalence of HBV infection and knowledge of HB among adult patients attending randomly selected primary care clinics. A cross-sectional sero-survey was conducted in March 2013 in the Zgorzelec region, Poland, with the use of an investigator-developed questionnaire containing 22 questions regarding HB knowledge. Serum samples were assayed for anti-HBc total and anti-HBs with enzyme immunoassay. The prevalence of anti-HBc total among 410 participants (median age 56 years) was 10.3 % (95 % CI 7.6-13.8 %), nobody was aware of an infection. The main sources of HB knowledge were the media and medical staff. The mean knowledge score was 14.8 ± 4.9; 76.7 % of the respondents had scores >50 %. Particular gaps were detected relating to knowledge of unprotected sexual intercourse and MTCT; 45.6 % patients were not aware of the potential asymptomatic course of HBV infection, 41.2 % about chronic HB treatment. A patient's low educational level was negatively associated with a high knowledge level; the willingness for further education on HB and HBV vaccination in the past were independently associated with good knowledge. In conclusion, the HBV infection remains a public health threat in Poland, since the prevalence of infection markers in asymptomatic adult patients was high. Knowledge gaps call for awareness campaigns which may increase testing and diagnosis, audiences representing lower education level should be targeted first. Knowledge on HB might serve as an effective tool in decision making regarding vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- BLOOD testing
CHI-squared test
CONFIDENCE intervals
FISHER exact test
HEPATITIS B
IMMUNIZATION
RESEARCH methodology
MULTIVARIATE analysis
QUESTIONNAIRES
RESEARCH funding
STATISTICAL sampling
SELF-evaluation
STATISTICS
LOGISTIC regression analysis
DATA analysis
MULTIPLE regression analysis
CROSS-sectional method
HEALTH literacy
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
ODDS ratio
MANN Whitney U Test
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00945145
- Volume :
- 41
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Community Health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 114786174
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-015-0139-5