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Title: | Knowledge, Risk Perception and Vaccination against Hepatitis B Infection by Primary Healthcare Workers In Jos, North Central Nigeria |
Authors: | Daboerboer, Jonathan C Chingle, Moses .P. Banwat., M.E. |
Issue Date: | 2010 |
Publisher: | Knowledge, Risk Perception and Vaccination against Hepatitis B Infection by Primary Healthcare Workers In Jos, North Central Nigeria |
Series/Report no.: | Vol. 10;No. 1 -2; Pp 9-13 |
Abstract: | Background: Hepatitis B infection remains a major
occupational health hazard among healthcare workers in
Nigeria where the disease is hyperendemic. Primary
healthcare workers are at an even greater risk due to poorer
compliance with standard safety precautions by them. The
objective of this study is to determine the knowledge, risk
perception and vaccination status of primary healthcare
workers in Jos regarding Hepatitis B infection.
Methodology
From each of the existing 6 PHC zones in Jos North LGA,
2 PHC clinics were selected by simple random sampling
technique using balloting. In each selected PHC clinic all
trained healthcare workers who had worked there for at
least 1 year and who consented to participate were
recruited into the study. A cross sectional study design was
then used to collect information from the respondents
using a semi structured self-administered questionnaire.
Results
Two hundred and eighty eight primary healthcare workers
completed and returned the questionnaires. Two hundred
and forty nine (86.5%) had good knowledge of HB
infection though only 31 (10.8%) of them had ever
attended any training or workshop on standard safety
precautions and blood borne infections. As many as 238
(82.6%) mentioned immunization as a strategy to prevent
HB infection although only 12 (5.2%) had good knowledge
of the vaccine. Furthermore only 52 (19.8%) had received
at least a dose of the vaccine. The mean age of those
vaccinated was 40.0 ± 4.8 years. Both the knowledge of the
vaccine (p=0.000…) and the practice of vaccination
(p=0.000…) increased with the age of respondents and the
association was statistically significant. Although more
males (24.5%) than female (18.6%) were vaccinated, this
difference was not statistically significant (p=0.33). Only 7
(12.9%) respondents perceived their work as putting them
at high risk of contracting HB infection and 85 (29.5%)
believed they were at no risk at all or were unsure.
Conclusion: Primary healthcare workers in Jos have good
knowledge of HB infection but poor knowledge of the HB
vaccination. HB vaccination among them is very poor as is
their perception of their occupational risk for the disease.
Continuing education, training and vaccine provision are
recommended to address this important healthcare need. |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/2097 |
Appears in Collections: | Community Medicine
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