ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND VACCINATION STATUS REGARDING HEPATITIS B INFECTION AMONG PRE AND PARA CLINICAL MBBS STUDENTS OF GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE, SRINAGAR”

*Arjumand Maqbool, Sameena Farhat, Rehana Tabassum and Irfan Yousuf Wani

ABSTRACT

Background: As per WHO, 296 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B infection in 2019 with 1.5 million infections each year. There are certain groups in population who are at higher risk of acquiring hepatitis B infection. Health care workers represent one such group. Medical students are also at increased risk of occupational exposure to infected patients and instruments. Therefore, assessing the knowledge, attitude and vaccination status of medical students plays a key role in decreasing the exposure and transmission of infection. Materials and Methods: The conducted study was a cross sectional study, was carried out in the month of January among the first and second year MBBS students by using a pre designed questionnaire developed on the basis of literature review and was divided into 4 parts (sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and vaccination status of the study participants). Data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency and percentage. Results: In our study we found that maximum number of the students had good knowledge about hepatitis B infection as a disease (100%) and its routes of transmission (93.75%). Most of them had good attitude towards the hepatitis B infected patients (71.88%, 65.62%). However most of them (69.53%) had no knowledge about precautionary measures to be taken against hepatitis B infection. It was also seen that many of them were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against hepatitis B infection. Vaccination not offered to them was the reason given by most of the unvaccinated students for not being vaccinated. Conclusion: As evident from the findings , our study revealed that even though most of the students had an acceptable knowledge and attitude towards hepatitis B infection but there was lack of knowledge regarding the precautionary measures to be taken against hepatitis B infection. Also, the students who are not vaccinated makes them vulnerable to this infection. Imparting education regarding this infection and conducting vaccination programs among the medical students should be implemented.

Keywords: hepatitis B, Knowledge, vaccination status, medical students.