Abdulai Martha Ali, Baiden Frank, Adjei George, Owusu-Agyei Seth
Kintampo Health Research Centre, B/A, Ghana.
Ensign College of Public Health Kpong, E/R, Ghana.
Ghana Med J. 2016 Sep;50(3):157-162.
Over 2 billion people are infected with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and about 240 million are chronic carriers of the virus. Chronic HBV infection is an important cause of liver cancer. The infectivity of HBV is hundred times higher than the HIV virus yet it receives comparatively little attention in public health. The study assessed knowledge and awareness of HBV among pregnant women in the Kintampo Municipality of Ghana.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in two facilities between September 2010 and November 2010. We performed analysis to determine factors associated with hepatitis B awareness.
Forty-one percent of the 504 women were aware of hepatitis B viral infection, 33.5% of the women were able to correctly mention the transmission routes of Hepatitis B. The radio was the most (42%) mentioned source of information on HBV and the least source of information were places of worship (2.7%).After adjusting for other factors, level of education; SSS/SHS and above OR=4.2, P<00.1, 95% CI (2.5, 7.0) and occupation (Civil servant/Student); OR= 3.8, P00.1, 95% CI (1.7, 8.5) were the important predictors of Hepatitis B awareness.
There is a low level of knowledge and awareness of HBV among pregnant women in this municipality. This could potentially hamper effective HBV prevention and control in Ghana. Education on hepatitis B need to be included in health promotion activities.
The study was funded by KHRC Director's small grant Initiative.
超过20亿人感染了乙肝病毒（HBV），约2.4亿人是该病毒的慢性携带者。慢性乙肝病毒感染是肝癌的一个重要病因。乙肝病毒的传染性比艾滋病毒高百倍，但在公共卫生领域却相对较少受到关注。该研究评估了加纳金坦波市孕妇对乙肝病毒的知识和认知情况。
2010年9月至2010年11月期间，在两个医疗机构对前来产前检查的孕妇进行了横断面调查。我们进行了分析以确定与乙肝认知相关的因素。
504名女性中，41%知晓乙肝病毒感染，33.5%的女性能够正确说出乙肝的传播途径。收音机是提及最多（42%）的乙肝信息来源，而宗教场所是提及最少（2.7%）的信息来源。在对其他因素进行调整后，教育程度；高中及以上学历，比值比（OR）=4.2，P<0.01，95%置信区间（CI）（2.5，7.0）以及职业（公务员/学生）；OR = 3.8，P<0.01，95%CI（1.7，八5）是乙肝认知的重要预测因素。
该市孕妇对乙肝病毒的知识和认知水平较低。这可能会阻碍加纳有效预防和控制乙肝。乙肝教育需要纳入健康促进活动中。
该研究由KHRC主任小额赠款倡议资助。
