Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Upper West Regional Hospital, Wa, Upper West Region, Ghana.
Department of Behavioural and Social Change, School of Public Health, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana.
PLoS One. 2021 Oct 14;16(10):e0258757. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258757. eCollection 2021.
Hepatitis B infection remains a public health threat associated with undesirable statistics of morbidity and mortality. Good knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of hepatitis B infection (HBI) prevention are essential for HBI control. However, there is limited evidence concerning the KAP of HBI prevention among nursing students, who are significantly exposed to HBI. We assessed the KAP of HBI prevention and the factors associated with the practice of HBI prevention among nursing students in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
We administered an online cross-sectional survey in November 2020 to a stratified random sample of 402 nursing students in two nursing training colleges in the Upper West Region. Using STATA version 13, we computed composite scores of KAP of HBI prevention with maximum scores of 18 for knowledge and 8 each for attitude and practice. A generalised ordered logistic regression model was run to assess the factors associated with the practice of HBI prevention.
The students had moderate median scores for knowledge (12.00; IQR = 10-13) and attitude (6.00; IQR = 5.00-7.00) but a poor median score (5.00; IQR = 4.00-6.00) for the practice of HBI prevention. High knowledge (aOR = 2.05; p = 0.06), good attitude, being a male, second year student and having parents with tertiary education were significantly associated with higher likelihoods (aOR >1; p < 0.05) of demonstrating good practice of HBI prevention. Students who had never married were significantly (aOR = 0.34; p = 0.010) less likely to exhibit good practice of HBI prevention.
The KAP scores of HBI prevention among the students were sub-optimal. We recommend institution-based policies and regular education on HBI prevention, free/subsidised HBI prevention services, and the enforcement of proper professional ethics on HBI prevention in nursing training colleges. Such interventions should predominantly target female, non-married and first year nursing students.
乙型肝炎感染仍然是一个公共卫生威胁，其发病率和死亡率数据不容乐观。良好的乙型肝炎感染（HBI）预防知识、态度和实践（KAP）对于 HBI 控制至关重要。然而，关于护理学生 HBI 预防的 KAP 的证据有限，而他们接触 HBI 的风险较高。我们评估了加纳上西部地区护理学生的 HBI 预防 KAP 以及与 HBI 预防实践相关的因素。
我们于 2020 年 11 月对上西部地区两所护理培训学院的 402 名护理学生进行了在线横断面调查。我们使用 STATA 版本 13 计算了 HBI 预防 KAP 的综合评分，知识的最高得分为 18 分，态度和实践的最高得分为 8 分。我们使用广义有序逻辑回归模型评估了与 HBI 预防实践相关的因素。
学生的知识中位数评分为 12.00（IQR=10-13），态度中位数评分为 6.00（IQR=5.00-7.00），但 HBI 预防实践中位数评分为 5.00（IQR=4.00-6.00）。高知识（OR=2.05；p=0.06）、良好的态度、男性、二年级学生和父母接受过高等教育与较高的 HBI 预防实践可能性显著相关（OR>1；p<0.05）。从未结婚的学生显著（OR=0.34；p=0.010）不太可能表现出良好的 HBI 预防实践。
学生的 HBI 预防 KAP 评分不理想。我们建议在护理培训学院实施基于机构的政策和定期 HBI 预防教育、免费/补贴 HBI 预防服务，并执行有关 HBI 预防的适当职业道德。这些干预措施应主要针对女性、未婚和一年级护理学生。
