Knowledge and prevention of vertical transmission of hepatitis B infection: A cross-sectional study among pregnant females in Varanasi, India
| Autor: | Kalika Maheshwari, Sangeeta Kansal |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2023 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Indian Journal of Community Medicine, Vol 48, Iss 4, Pp 612-614 (2023) |
| Druh dokumentu: | article |
| ISSN: | 0970-0218 1998-3581 |
| DOI: | 10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_650_22 |
| Popis: | Background: 300 million individuals worldwide suffer from chronic HBV infection. India, an intermediate endemicity zone, has a 3-4% HBsAg prevalence in the general population and 0.9-11.2% among pregnant women. As 95% of infantile infections progress to chronicity, vertical transmission is a vital intervention area. To assess the knowledge of pregnant women and post-natal mothers concerning Hepatitis-B infection transmission and prevention. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 143 participants (124 pregnant females and 19 postnatal mothers) attending the antenatal clinic at the rural block primary health center. A semi-structured questionnaire was used. Blood samples were evaluated for HBsAg using RAPIKIT. SPSS-22 was utilized for descriptive statistical analysis. Results: 91.6% of respondents had heard of Hepatitis. 1.4% stated that it can be caused by a virus, whereas 40% identified consumption of oily, spicy, and unhygienic food as causative. 67.1% of respondents underwent blood tests but could not specify what they were screened for. 5.2% were HBsAg positive. ~40% were aware of vertical transmission. 59.4% of respondents were unaware of any preventive modality, and 7.7% said vaccination is preventive. 97.9% had never been counseled during their antenatal period by health workers. 41.1% said that their newborns were vaccinated within 24 hours of birth. Conclusion: Findings emphasize the paucity of knowledge possessed by pregnant women and post-natal mothers concerning Hepatitis B causation, transmission, and prevention regardless of age, education, or socioeconomic status. Misconceptions were prevalent, and counseling was inadequate. |
| Databáze: | Directory of Open Access Journals |
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