title: Hepatitis B surface antigen prevalence among 12,393 rural women of childbearing age in Hainan Province, China: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly endemic in China and it threats human health seriously. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) prevalence among women of childbearing age plays an important role in mother to child transmission of HBV, as 30%~50% of chronic carriers can be attributed to maternal-infantile transmission. However, there are few studies which have reported on the prevalence of HBsAg among women of childbearing age in China. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HBsAg and its associated risk factors among rural women of childbearing age in Hainan, which is the highest hepatitis B virus endemic province in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, population-based study, which included 12,393 rural women aged 15~49 years, enrolled by a multistage stratified cluster sampling, was carried out in Hainan province, China, from November 2007 to December 2008. Blood samples were obtained from each study participant, and screened for HBsAg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall HBsAg prevalence of childbearing age women was 9.51%. Risk factors for HBsAg positivity among rural women were: lower education level (OR=1.206), lower family monthly income (OR=1.233), having an HBsAg-positive family member (OR=1.300), without an immunization history (OR=1.243), tattooing (OR=1.190), body piercing (OR=1.293), vaginoscopy history (OR=1.103) and history of induced abortion (OR=1.142).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a high HBsAg seroprevalence rate among rural women of childbearing age in Hainan province. Hence, it is necessary to take preventive measures to reduce the seroprevalence of HBsAg and to control its associated risk factors.
authors: Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13th Hangkong Road, Wuhan, PR China.
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Weiming
authors: W
authors: Fang
authors: Lichun
authors: L
authors: Fan
authors: Xiaohui
authors: X
authors: Gao
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Guo
authors: Wenming
authors: W
authors: Huang
authors: Yukai
authors: Y
authors: Du
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens