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ASSESSMENT OF THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF MEDICAL STUDENTS REGARDING HBV AND HCV

Dr Ali Hussain, Dr Khoula Fiaz, Dr Muhammad Saad

Background: Hepatitis is a public health problem throughout the world. The chances of job-related exposure to hepatitis among healthcare workers is a key concern, particularly among students in healthcare profession. Objective: The current survey was conducted to assess the knowledge; attitudes and practices (KAP) of medical students (MBBS) about hepatitis B and C in a public sector university in Lahore. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration: This study was carried out at King Edward Medical University, Lahore for the duration of one year from August, 2018 to July, 2019. Methodology: Total 300 MBBS students (1st to 4th year) took part in this study. Data was collected using validated self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used to find out the association between variables in the study. Results: Of 300 medical students, 40.6% were males and 59.4% were females. Female and older students demonstrated higher knowledge regarding hepatitis B and C, route of transmission, and availability of treatment for hepatitis B and C. Among them, 58.7% of males and 61.4% females had sufficient basic knowledge about hepatitis B and C. Moreover, 54% males and 57% females had good knowledge about sources for spreading of hepatitis while 54% males and 62% females had good knowledge regarding prevention against hepatitis. From total 300 students, 156 (52%) were vaccinated against hepatitis B. Lack of time was the most common reason reported for not being vaccinated against hepatitis B. Conclusion: Most participants in this study showed enough knowledge concerning HBV and HCV, route of transmission and prevention. Keywords: Knowledge, Attitude, Hepatitis, Liver cirrhosis, Cellular carcinoma.