[Perceptions, knowledge and attitudes about liver disease in healthy adults attending health facilities in stratum A, B and C].
OBJECTIVE
To find and describe perceptions, beliefs, knowledge and attitudes adopted by healthy people regarding liver disease, who attend at three medical institutions. To estimate how the academic and socioeconomic level operate as determinant factors.


METHODS
Descriptive transversal study that includes a 31 question-questionnaire made in a group of 390 healthy people who were in the waiting rooms at Hospital Cayetano Heredia (HNCH), Policlinico Peruano Japones (PPJ) and Clinica Angloamericana (CAA), reflecting low, medium and medium-high socio economic status respectively. Data was processed with SPSS software.


RESULTS
We found that 218/390 (56%) people had higher education level, and 64% were women. "Eating high-fat meals" had the highest percentage (91%) among perceptions of liver disease. "Bad breath" and "heartburn" were referred as symptoms of liver disease, among people with a higher education level. Less than 50% of people knew about routes of transmission of hepatitis B, associated with its prevention and treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Beliefs and wrong perceptions about liver disease are prevalent among people; dyspepsia was inaccurately associated. There is an inappropriate knowledge about routes of transmission, preventive measures and treatment, which was reflected in people with lower education level as well as in those with higher education and socioeconomic level.
Osorio Calixtro
Liliana
L
Egresada Facultad de Medicina Alberto Hurtado, UPCH, Lima, Perú.
Patiño Trinidad
Tania
T
Tagle Arróspide
Martín
M
Huayanay Falconi
Leandro
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000523:psychology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010568:Peru; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult