Knowledge, attitude, and practice towards Hepatitis B and vaccination status of pre-clinical medical students at Sylhet Women's Medical College, Bangladesh.

Abstract

Hepatitis B is a global health problem with high morbidity and mortality. The risk of transmission is more common among health care personnels and medical students during their professional health trainings. Vaccination is the most effective means of prevention. The main objective of this study was to determine the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding Hepatitis B and vaccination among pre-clinical students in a medical college. A web-based, single-center, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among pre-clinical medical students in Bangladesh from April 28, 2024, to May 4, 2024. The whole sampling technique method was used taking the entire population for our study. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using JMP Pro V17 Statistical Software. Sixty-one (34%) students were vaccinated against Hepatitis B, of whom 18% received all three doses with a booster dose. The most common reason for non-vaccination was lack of awareness of one's vaccination status (43%). The median knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) scores were 54 (50-60), 19 (17-21) and 20 (19-23) respectively, and they were moderately positively correlated. Forty-six (25.98%) students had a good overall KAP score (≥ 102). Only one-third of the students had been vaccinated, and the commonest reason for non-vaccination was lack of awareness of one's vaccination status. Nearly one-fourth of the participants had good knowledge, attitude, and practice related to Hepatitis B. Therefore, education regarding Hepatitis B infection, risk factors, and importance of vaccination is a must among pre-clinical medical students in Bangladesh.