Medical students' knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding hepatitis B and C virus infections in Jordan: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background and Aims: We aimed to assess the levels of hepatitis B and C knowledge, attitudes, and practices among medical students in Jordan. A survey included participation from medical students across all faculties in Jordan, from 2022 to 2023. Methods: The data were analyzed with The R Statistical Software (v4.1.2; R Core Team 2022) using descriptive statistics, and multivariate regression analyses. A p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In this study of 2602 participants, the average age was 21.4, with 52.6% females. Most were fourth-year medical students (19.1%), and 52.3% were in clinical years. The mean knowledge score was 14 (SD ± 2.5) out of 20, categorized as high at 58.84%, and low at 41.16%. The mean practice score was 4.89 (SD ± 1.1) out of 7, with good practice in 65%, and low in 35%. The mean attitude score was 1.6 (SD ± 3.1), categorized as low in 81.7%, and high in 18.3%,. High levels of KAP were associated with gender, year of study, and university. Male respondents had lower knowledge (OR: 0.73; p: 0.001; 95% CI: −0.50 to −0.13), and students in the first to fifth years scored lower than sixth-year students. There were moderate positive associations between knowledge and attitude (r: 0.33, p < 0.001), and weak positive associations between knowledge and practice (r: 0.17, p < 0.001), and attitude and practice (r: 0.133, p < 0.001). Conclusion: In conclusion, the participants revealed high adherence to some practices and intermediate knowledge levels. Gender, academic year, and university affiliation emerged as significant factors, highlighting the necessity for tailored interventions.