Abstract

Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of first year MBBS students, for the prevention ofHepatitis B. Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of study: The study was conducted at Lahore Medical &Dental College, Lahore. The data was collected in two weeks in December, 2006. Methodology: A total of 50 studentswere recruited using a non probability random sampling technique, through the lottery method. A pre-tested structuredquestionnaire was administered to collect information about the knowledge and practice of students about theprevention of hepatitis B. Data was presented in the form of simple tables and graphs. Results: Out of 50 students,majority (96%) responded that it was a disease of liver. Regarding knowledge about the communicability of HepatitisB, 78% said it was communicable, 19% assumed that it was water borne. Other responses included spread via bloodtransfusion (28%), through use of injection (21%), close physical contact (8%) and un-hygienic conditions (18%). Forprevention of Hepatitis B, the more common responses were, provision of clean water (24%), improvement in hygiene(27%), restriction to single sex partner (6%), avoidance of sharing syringes and needles (19%), screening blood beforetransfusion (9%) and vaccination (15%). The high risk group was identified as the poor people living in unhygienicconditions (34%), surgeons (32%), barbers (12%), Intravenous drug users (8%), recipient of blood transfusion (6%)and uneducated people (6%). Only 1 respondent (2%) said that sex workers could be at risk of getting this disease.When inquired about their vaccination status, 66% of students admitted to have been vaccinated against Hepatitis B,while 34% of have not been vaccinated. Conclusion: The present study concludes that there is lack of awarenessamong the medical students entering into the profession about the hazards of Hepatitis B, its routes of spread and itsmodes of prevention. Similarly, all the students were not vaccinated against Hepatitis B, which made them veryvulnerable to this disease.