title: Awareness and knowledge of hepatitis B infection and prevention and the use of hepatitis B vaccination in the Hong Kong adult Chinese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global public health problem and it is an important cause of acute, chronic and fulminant hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The prevalence of HBV infection in Hong Kong over the past decade remained unchanged at 10%, despite the implementation of universal neonatal and availability of adult vaccination. We suspect that the current state of affairs is attributable to inadequate awareness and knowledge of HBV transmission and prevention in the general population, resulting in a low rate of uptake of HBV vaccination by the lay public. Therefore, we have embarked in this study to evaluate the awareness and knowledge on HBV infection in our local Chinese population, their attitude on the prevention of horizontal transmission of HBV, and the use of HBV vaccination, especially in those who were born before the era of universal neonatal vaccination.
  
  
  METHODS
  The factors associated with HBV screening, vaccination uptake, and knowledge were examined in a face-to-face questionnaire survey on a group of adult Chinese in Hong Kong.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Within this group, 14% was considered to have good knowledge for HBV infection, and 26% had HBV vaccination. Age, occupation, having children, and family monthly income, are independent factors associated with vaccination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests insufficient public awareness of HBV infection in the Hong Kong Adult Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China. jacquelinechung@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Pui Wah
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Sik Hung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Suen
authors.forename: Oi Ka
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Tzu Hsi
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lao
authors.forename: Tak Yeung
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines