Knowledge, Attitude and Preventive Measures regarding Hepatitis B among Adolescents contacting Outpatient Pediatric Clinics

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Pediatric nursing, faculty of nursing, Tanta University

2 Pediatric nursing, faculty of nursing, Mansoura University

3 Pediatric nursing, Menoufiya University

Abstract

Hepatitis B infection is a serious health problem worldwide. Prevention of this disease with
its fatal consequences depends greatly on the level of adolescents' knowledge, attitudes and
preventive measures about it. Aim: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and
preventive measures regarding hepatitis B among adolescents contacting Pediatric Outpatient
Clinics of Tanta University hospitals, Egypt. Setting: The study was carried out at Outpatients
Pediatric Clinics of Tanta University Hospitals. Sampling: A purposive sample of all adolescents
contacting the pediatric clinic from June - July 2016 and willing to participate in the study were
included. Their number was 100 adolescents and their ages ranged from 12-18 years. Research
design: A descriptive design was used. Results: The majority of the studied subjects had
educated parents, about three fourth of them had unsatisfactory knowledge regarding hepatitis B
definition, management and the family constitute the main sources of knowledge to 39% of them.
About one third of the studied subjects who had unsatisfactory score of the total knowledge were
males (29%) and had none employed parents (father 35%& mother 44%).Regarding the subjects'
attitude, three fourth of them ; realize that hepatitis B is an infectious disease and half of them
also accept to make a check up for hepatitis B. One third of the studied subjects' who had
unsatisfactory attitude to hepatitis B infection were males and had none employed parents,
compared to only one fifth of female subjects. Regarding subjects' preventive measures, about
one third of male subjects had unsatisfactory preventive measures score regarding hepatitis B and
had none employed parents. Conclusion: More than three fourth of the studied subjects had
unsatisfactory knowledge about hepatitis B definition and management and have unsatisfactory
attitude to hepatitis B and do unsatisfactory measures when dealing with hepatitis B infected
persons. Recommendations: Educational and health promotion programs should be conducted to
increase the level of knowledge, attitudes and preventive measures regarding Hepatitis B among
the adolescents

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