Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE TOWARDS HEPATITIS B AMONG HEALTHY POPULATION IN SAUDI ARABIA, 2017

Mohammad Abdulrhman Wedhaya*, Mohammed Ahmad Kurban, Dina Abdulkareem Abyadh, Ali Saleh R Alshamrani, Ghaedaa Saad Alzahrani, Hatim Ali Alhabi, Sami Samran Alrehaily, Amal Mohammed Alqahtani, Mohammed hamzah Mansi, Abdullah Saeed Mofareh

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis Virus B is a major health problem in KSA as it used to be one of the most endemicity countries for being hepatitis B seropositive. Objectives: Evaluation of the KAP of Saudi population toward hepatitis B infection in KSA. Methods: A descriptivecross sectional study was used among 890 Saudi subjects aged between 20- 50 years old. All participants were interviewed and filled-up a predesigned validated questionnaire form February 2017- June 2017 that consisted of 4 parts including the demographics and KAP of included subjects. Results: Out of 890 Saudi subjects, 69.3% were females, 48.3% were working, 77% had college degree and 50.9% of them aged from 20-30 years old. The prevalence of hepatitis B among the studied population showed that only 8% of subjects declared that they had hepatitis B infection. Most of participants had good knowledge regarding the methods of HB transmission, the definition, symptoms and effects of the disease. The attitude of subjects was good in 60% of subjects but the level of practice was poor among 66% of subjects as most of subjects hadn’t been screened or vaccinated for hepatitis B infection. Conclusion: The level of KAP toward hepatitis B was good in 56% of subjects with high scores of good knowledge and attitude but with poor practice levels among most of subjects.

Keywords: KAP, Hepatitis B, Cross-Sectional, Adult, KSA.