Awareness about hepatitis-B, among the nurses of Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS), Srinagar – a tertiary care hospital: a cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) represent high risk population for viral hepatitis infection. This study sought to assess the knowledge of HCWs of Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital regarding hepatitis B infection.Methods: In this hospital based cross-sectional study, 104 HCWs (nurses) from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital, Srinagar were invited to participate in the study and after taking informed written consent were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire.Results: A total of 104 HCWs responded to the study. Majority of the study subjects had satisfactory knowledge about hepatitis B viral infection. Majority (>80%) of respondents had adequate knowledge about the nature of disease. Regarding transmission and prevention 100% of respondents agreed to the fact that blood transfusion had a role in spread of hepatitis B and that it can be prevented by vaccines.Conclusions: More than half (about 51.9 percent) of study subjects were not vaccinated for hepatitis B infection despite of being aware about the spread through needle stick injury. Appropriate educational and health promotion programmes should be implemented to increase the level of preventive practices on hepatitis B among the HCWs.