American Journal of Health Research

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Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Heath Care Workers Regarding Transmission and Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection, White Nile State, Sudan, 2013

Received: 08 March 2016    Accepted: 16 March 2016    Published: 29 March 2016
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Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious blood borne disease. The objective was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of heath care workers regarding transmission and prevention of hepatitis B virus infection. Method: A cross‐sectional, hospital- based study carried out in White Nile State, Sudan. Three hundred eighty five health care workers were selected randomly from thirteen hospitals. Structured questionnaire was used for the interview. Knowledge was tested by 16 variables related to mode of transmission and prevention. Cronbach’s Alpha of 16 variables was 0.8. Quartile range was used to identify cutoff points for knowledge levels. Knowledge levels were determined as adequate, moderate and poor. Chi-Square test was used to test the knowledge against workers` characteristics. Result: Education of the workers was significantly associated with knowledge of health care workers about HBV transmission and prevention. Age, sex and marital status were not associated with the level of knowledge. Laboratory technicians and labors have poor knowledge compared to doctors, pharmacist, nurses, midwives and theater operators. More than 80% of health care workers were aware about the availability of protective measures in hospitals. They were significantly practicing sterilizing instruments, wearing gloves and screened the donated blood. The attitude of health care workers after suspicious of being infected had shown that 220 do nothing, 99 consider cautery and 57 believe in voluntary testing. Conclusion: Educated health care workers have adequate knowledge about HBV transmission and prevention and labors were having poor knowledge. Health care workers that aware of available protective measures were sterilizing instruments, wearing gloves and screening the donated blood. The majority of HCWs do nothing after suspicious of HBV infection. Health awareness about hepatitis B virus is needed to target labors, laboratory technicians and other para-medical staff.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11
Published in American Journal of Health Research (Volume 4, Issue 2, March 2016)
Page(s) 18-22
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Hepatitis B Virus Infection, HCWs, Public Hospitals, White Nile State, Sudan

References
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[2] Elsheikh RM, Daak AA, Elsheikh MA, Karsany MS, Adam I. Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus in pregnant Sudanese women. Virol J 2007; 4: 104.
[3] NadiraMehriban, GU Ahsan, and Tajul Islam. Knowledge and preventive practices regarding Hepatitis B among nurses in some selected hospitals of Dhaka city, Bangladesh; South East Asia Journal of Public Health 2014;4(1):48-52.
[4] Sari SYI, Ibrahim K, Haroen H, Afriandi I, Sunjaya DK, Hinduan ZR, et al. Knowledge, attitude and perceived adherence with universal precautions among health care workers in the obstetrics and gynaecology department of an Indonesian teaching hospital. Int J Infect Control 2011; v7:i4. Available at http://www.abih.net.br/wp-content/uploads/Sari-et-al_IJIC-4oTrim2011.pdf
[5] Baraka MBK, Elsayed A, Mohamedani AA. Effect on Rates of Surgical Site Infection Following Application of an Infection Prevention and Control Training Program in Elsha’ab Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan. Journal of US-China Medical Science 2014; 11: 205-11.
[6] Bakry S, Mustafa A, Eldalo AS, Yousif M. Knowledge, attitude and practice of health care workers toward Hepatitis B virus infection, Sudan. The International journal of risk & safety in medicine 2011; 24(2): 95-102.
[7] Mudawi HM. Epidemiology of viral hepatitis in Sudan. Clinical and experimental gastroenterology 2008; (1): 9-13.
[8] Khan N, Ahmed SM, Khalid MM, Siddiqui SH, Merchant AA. Effect of gender and age on the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding hepatitis B and C and vaccination status of hepatitis B among medical students of Karachi. Pakistan J Pak Med Assoc 2010; 60(6): 450-5.
[9] Mahboobi N, Agha Hosseini F, Safari S, Lavanchy D, Alavian SM. Hepatitis B virus infection in dentistry: a forgotten topic. J Viral Hepatitis 2010; 17(5): 307-16.
[10] Abdulraheem I, Amodu M, Saka M, Bolarinwa O, Uthman M. Knowledge, Awareness and Compliance with Standard Precautions among Health Workers in North Eastearn Nigeria. J Community Med Health Edu2012;2(3).Available at https://www.unilorin.edu.ng/publications/uthmanmbb/KAP%20ON%20UNIVERSAL%20PRECAUTION%20-PUBLISHED.pdf
[11] Alqahtani JM, Abu-Eshy SA, Mahfouz AA, El-Mekki AA, Asaad AM. Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections among health students and health care workers in the Najran region, southwestern Saudi Arabia: The need for national guidelines for health students. BMC Public Health 2014; 14(1): 577.
[12] Rana SA, Ejaz A, Humayun Agha IF. Awareness and frequency of hepatitis B vaccination in high-risk health care workers at a tertiary care hospital. Rawal Medical Journal 2013; 38(1): 3-6.
[13] Talpur AA, Memon N, Solangi R, Ghumro A. Knowledge and attitude of patients towards hepatitis B and C. Pak J surg 2007; 23: 162-5.
Author Information
  • Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan

  • Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan

  • Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan

  • Khartoum State Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Khartoum State, Sudan

  • Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan

  • Khartoum State Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Khartoum State, Sudan

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  • APA Style

    Taha Ahmed Elmukashfi Elsheikh, Siham Ahmed Balla, Asma Abdelaal Abdalla, Mawahib Ahmed Elawad Abu Elgasim, Zeinab Swareldahab, et al. (2016). Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Heath Care Workers Regarding Transmission and Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection, White Nile State, Sudan, 2013. American Journal of Health Research, 4(2), 18-22. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11

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    ACS Style

    Taha Ahmed Elmukashfi Elsheikh; Siham Ahmed Balla; Asma Abdelaal Abdalla; Mawahib Ahmed Elawad Abu Elgasim; Zeinab Swareldahab, et al. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Heath Care Workers Regarding Transmission and Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection, White Nile State, Sudan, 2013. Am. J. Health Res. 2016, 4(2), 18-22. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11

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    AMA Style

    Taha Ahmed Elmukashfi Elsheikh, Siham Ahmed Balla, Asma Abdelaal Abdalla, Mawahib Ahmed Elawad Abu Elgasim, Zeinab Swareldahab, et al. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Heath Care Workers Regarding Transmission and Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection, White Nile State, Sudan, 2013. Am J Health Res. 2016;4(2):18-22. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11,
      author = {Taha Ahmed Elmukashfi Elsheikh and Siham Ahmed Balla and Asma Abdelaal Abdalla and Mawahib Ahmed Elawad Abu Elgasim and Zeinab Swareldahab and Abdelgadir Ali Bashir},
      title = {Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Heath Care Workers Regarding Transmission and Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection, White Nile State, Sudan, 2013},
      journal = {American Journal of Health Research},
      volume = {4},
      number = {2},
      pages = {18-22},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajhr.20160402.11},
      abstract = {Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious blood borne disease. The objective was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of heath care workers regarding transmission and prevention of hepatitis B virus infection. Method: A cross‐sectional, hospital- based study carried out in White Nile State, Sudan. Three hundred eighty five health care workers were selected randomly from thirteen hospitals. Structured questionnaire was used for the interview. Knowledge was tested by 16 variables related to mode of transmission and prevention. Cronbach’s Alpha of 16 variables was 0.8. Quartile range was used to identify cutoff points for knowledge levels. Knowledge levels were determined as adequate, moderate and poor. Chi-Square test was used to test the knowledge against workers` characteristics. Result: Education of the workers was significantly associated with knowledge of health care workers about HBV transmission and prevention. Age, sex and marital status were not associated with the level of knowledge. Laboratory technicians and labors have poor knowledge compared to doctors, pharmacist, nurses, midwives and theater operators. More than 80% of health care workers were aware about the availability of protective measures in hospitals. They were significantly practicing sterilizing instruments, wearing gloves and screened the donated blood. The attitude of health care workers after suspicious of being infected had shown that 220 do nothing, 99 consider cautery and 57 believe in voluntary testing. Conclusion: Educated health care workers have adequate knowledge about HBV transmission and prevention and labors were having poor knowledge. Health care workers that aware of available protective measures were sterilizing instruments, wearing gloves and screening the donated blood. The majority of HCWs do nothing after suspicious of HBV infection. Health awareness about hepatitis B virus is needed to target labors, laboratory technicians and other para-medical staff.},
     year = {2016}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Heath Care Workers Regarding Transmission and Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection, White Nile State, Sudan, 2013
    AU  - Taha Ahmed Elmukashfi Elsheikh
    AU  - Siham Ahmed Balla
    AU  - Asma Abdelaal Abdalla
    AU  - Mawahib Ahmed Elawad Abu Elgasim
    AU  - Zeinab Swareldahab
    AU  - Abdelgadir Ali Bashir
    Y1  - 2016/03/29
    PY  - 2016
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11
    T2  - American Journal of Health Research
    JF  - American Journal of Health Research
    JO  - American Journal of Health Research
    SP  - 18
    EP  - 22
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-8796
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20160402.11
    AB  - Background: Hepatitis B virus infection is a serious blood borne disease. The objective was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of heath care workers regarding transmission and prevention of hepatitis B virus infection. Method: A cross‐sectional, hospital- based study carried out in White Nile State, Sudan. Three hundred eighty five health care workers were selected randomly from thirteen hospitals. Structured questionnaire was used for the interview. Knowledge was tested by 16 variables related to mode of transmission and prevention. Cronbach’s Alpha of 16 variables was 0.8. Quartile range was used to identify cutoff points for knowledge levels. Knowledge levels were determined as adequate, moderate and poor. Chi-Square test was used to test the knowledge against workers` characteristics. Result: Education of the workers was significantly associated with knowledge of health care workers about HBV transmission and prevention. Age, sex and marital status were not associated with the level of knowledge. Laboratory technicians and labors have poor knowledge compared to doctors, pharmacist, nurses, midwives and theater operators. More than 80% of health care workers were aware about the availability of protective measures in hospitals. They were significantly practicing sterilizing instruments, wearing gloves and screened the donated blood. The attitude of health care workers after suspicious of being infected had shown that 220 do nothing, 99 consider cautery and 57 believe in voluntary testing. Conclusion: Educated health care workers have adequate knowledge about HBV transmission and prevention and labors were having poor knowledge. Health care workers that aware of available protective measures were sterilizing instruments, wearing gloves and screening the donated blood. The majority of HCWs do nothing after suspicious of HBV infection. Health awareness about hepatitis B virus is needed to target labors, laboratory technicians and other para-medical staff.
    VL  - 4
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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