Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) about Hepatitis B Infection among nursing students in Sabya College, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B is a serious global public health problem. Nursing students’ risk of exposure to HBV during their training period is a chief concern. Therefore, they should have adequate knowledge and practice towards HBV. Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP), regarding Hepatitis B Virus Infection among nursing students in Sabya Campus of Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated questionnaire to assess the KAP of nursing students regarding hepatitis B infection. The study was conducted from May to June 2018, Data of 60 students from level 4 to level 8were analyzed using IBM© SPSS© Statistics version 20. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and proportions were performed. Chi-squared test was used to determine the association of independent variables (age, educational level, marital status) with the outcome variable of interest (knowledge, attitude, and practice, related to hepatitis B). A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Sixty students participated in the study, 51.7% of them had good knowledge. Only 16.7% had good attitudes while most of them (48.3%) had poor attitudes towards people infected with the hepatitis B virus. Seventy-six point seven percent had good practices. A significant difference was found between the marital status and the attitude towards HBV infection (p=0.024). Conclusion: The study emphasizes the necessity of continued education about HBV to improve knowledge and attitude toward HBV infection.