International Journal of Healthcare Sciences ISSN 2348-5728 (Online) Vol. 8, Issue 1, pp: (268-282), Month: April 2020 - September 2020, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE TO WARDS HEPATITIS B VIRUS INFECTION AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE AT EDNA ADEN HOSPITAL, HARGEISA, SOMALILAND HUSSEIN ABDI ALI MPH at KU GOLLIS UNIVERSITY (SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES), HARGEISA SOMALILAND
Abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is serious public health problem which infected approximately 2 billion people worldwide. The Asia and the South-Western Pacific region including Somaliland are classified as Intermediateendemic for HBV infection with mother to child HBV transmission remains an important mode of transmission. Awareness and advocacy has been prioritized by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to lack of knowledge about the disease. The current knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) among key affected populations such as pregnant women in Hargeisa, Somaliland is unknown. This study investigates the level of KAP of pregnant women attending antenatal clinics (ANCs) at Edna Aden hospital as evidence for effective HBV awareness raising and advocacy program Objectives: The General objective of this study is to assess Knowledge, attitude and practice of pregnant women towards Hepatitis B Virus Infection attending antenatal clinic at Edna Adan maternity hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland. Methodology: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among 414 pregnant women at Edna Aden hospital. The data was collected using structured questionnaire through face to face interview. Systematic random sampling was used to select the study population Result: The knowledge mean score among pregnant respondents was 10.71 ± 4.75 SD which is below the cut –off – point of 12. Attitudes was measured using 7 questions and the mean score was 3.94 ±1.28 SD which is below the average cut- off point of 4.. Similarly, the mean score of practice was poor 4.59 ± 1.3 SD. The practice scale was consisting of 8 questions with a cut-off point of 5. Conclusion: The present study revealed poor level of KAP among women attending ANC at Edna Aden maternity hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland. Approximately 61.6% of pregnant women attending Edna Aden ANCs in the current study had low level of KAP towards HBV with lack of understanding of the basics of infection control and the prevention of transmission of HBV. Keyword: KAP, hepatitis B infection, pregnant mothers.
1. INTRODUCTION Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. The virus is transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person. [1] Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a serious global public health problem. Globally, there are an estimated 240 million people chronically infected with HBV, with more than 686,000 deaths annually due to complications of hepatitis
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