title: Hepatitis B knowledge among Iranian adolescents: a national survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B is the most prevalent chronic infectious liver disease worldwide with serious sequelae. Prevention of the infection can be provided by universal vaccination and improvement in knowledge and behavior about disease transmission. Provision of any educational program requires inquiry about target group baseline knowledge.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess Iranian adolescents' knowledge about hepatitis B (HBV) and associated factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a questionnaire-based national survey of 18-year-old adolescents according to stratified cluster random sampling in Iran during 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Response rate was 87%. Most adolescents (60%) knew that HBV infects the liver. Percentage of adolescents who gave correct answers to major routes of HBV transmission were as follows: spouse of an infected person 59%, multi-partners 66%, intravenous drug use 73%, body piercing 55% and personal belongings 55%. Higher levels of education, living in rural areas, marriage and (except for body piercing) female gender were associated with better knowledge. The knowledge of HBV infected individuals about major routes of HBV transmission was low (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are important deficits in adolescents' knowledge about HBV that requires attention of health educators to tailor educational programs for specific groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roushan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasiri Toosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Community Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alipasha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meysamie
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abdoul-Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Esteghamati
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Homazad
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hajrassuliha
keywords: Adolescent; Health Care Surveys; Hepatitis B virus; Knowledge