Assessment of Knowledge on Hepatitis B infection, Hepatitis B Vaccine and Vaccination Status Among Health Care Workers in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital

Abstract

Alebachew Girum, Seble Worku, Aklog Almaw, Yohannes Birhanu

Background: Hepatitis B infection is usually higher among health workers than the general population, particularly in the sub-Saharan region. WHO recommends vaccination for all health care workers (HCWs) against the highly infectious, blood borne virus: HBV. However, previous studies reported that knowledge of HCWs toward the hepatitis B infection, Hepatitis B vaccine and their vaccination coverage was low and vary among HCWs in different settings.

Objective: This study was aimed to assess knowledge about HBV infection, HBV vaccine and status of HBV vaccination among healthcare workers in TASH, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from March 10 to September 10, 2020.

Methods and Materials: Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted on 358 HCWs who were selected randomly. Stratified random sampling method was used to collect the data using self-administered questionnaire. Then, the data was entered into Epi-data 4.2 version and was exported to Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26 for analysis. All covariates that showed p value < 0.25 in binary logistic analysis were further analyzed by multiple logistic regressions to detect true predictors.

Result: Among the health care workers, who participated in this study, 180 (51.4%) of them had adequate knowledge on the HBV infection. Medical doctors were the most knowledgeable among the HCWs, with interns [AOR=11.3(95% CI=4.5- 28.6)], consultant physicians [AOR=7(95% CI=3.1-15.9)] & resident physicians [AOR=3.5(95% CI=1.9-6.9)] being significant predictors of good knowledge. Vaccination coverage was 60% which was predicted by a shorter work experience [AOR=4.7(95%=1.4-5.8)].

Conclusion: This study reveals that general knowledge level of HCWs about HBV is inadequate and vaccine coverage is suboptimal. Thus, concerned stakeholders should devote more efforts to improve the health care workers awareness about the virus and role of its vaccine and also more work to avail vaccine.

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