Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP)
about Hepatitis B virus (HBV) among the students of medical and dental colleges of
Karachi. Methodology: The cross-sectional study was conducted in five medical and dental colleges of Karachi.
Students of the 3rd, 4th, and final year were invited to join the study. The questionnaire included sociodemographic
information followed by three sections evaluating the knowledge, attitudes, and practices
regarding HBV. Twenty-nine questions were related to knowledge, 11 for attitude, and
4 for practices. Pearson's Chi-square test/Fisher's Exact test and Spearman correlation
were utilized to find the association and correlation of knowledge, attitudes, and
practices with independent variables. Results: Three hundred and seventy-nine students participated in the study. Two hundred and
nine of them (78.9%) were females and 253 (66.8%) students were medical students.
Ninety-five percent of the students correctly responded of the causative organism
of HBV. Knowledge of MBBS and BDS students for transmission of HBV were significantly
different for the questions: “mother to child,” coughing and sneezing' and “kissing.”
Almost all the responses regarding complications due to HBV (respiratory failure,
stroke, congestive heart failure liver, cirrhosis, colorectal cancer, and spine and
bone fracture) received more than 90% of correct answers. In response to contraindication
factors for HBV, only “extreme of ages” showed a significant difference between the
genders. The percentage of poor, moderate, and good knowledge were 17.4%, 53%, and
29.6% respectively. About 60% of students indicated that they have gone through screening
for HBV. About 20% of students indicated that they had experience of needle injury
and only 43% of them taken postexposure prophylactic measures. Conclusion: Study revealed that the KAP of medical and dental students of Karachi are satisfactory
and have been improved. However, few elements need to be focused in curricula and
workshops for further improvement.
Key-words:
Hep B virus - knowledge - attitude and practices study - Karachi - students of medicine
and dentistry
