Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards hepatitis A virus immunization in Jordan: A nationwide cross-sectional study

Background

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is an RNA virus transmitted via the fecal-oral route, often through contaminated water and poor sanitation. Although the HAV vaccine was included in Jordan's vaccination program in 2020 to address rising infection rates, there is limited research on the population's knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding HAV.

Aim

To assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards hepatitis A and its vaccine among Jordanian adults, identify their predictors, and inform future educational interventions.

Methods

This observational cross-sectional study utilized data from Jordanians in all regions of the country. Data collection was conducted via an online Arabic survey to collect information regarding demographics, HAV knowledge, immunization attitudes, and practices.

Results

Data were collected from 716 participants. Female participants resembled 60.3 % of participants, with a mean age of 31.18 years old. Participants deemed doctors as a trustworthy source of knowledge, however, only 46.51 % would consult them for information regarding HAV and its vaccine. The findings highlighted lower HAV vaccination knowledge and poorer attitudes in participants from the southern region of the country (p < 0.001). Higher knowledge scores were positively correlated with attitudes towards immunization (p < 0.001). Females demonstrated significantly higher attitude scores compared with males, as shown by the Mann-Whitney U Test (p = 0.001) and regression coefficients. Positive attitudes towards vaccination positively influenced immunization willingness, while age had a negative influence (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The study offered valuable insight on the gaps in HAV knowledge among Jordanians, emphasizing the need for targeted educational interventions. Future research should identify additional cultural and socioeconomic factors that may play a role in HAV knowledge and attitudes.