title: Awareness of Hepatitis 'B' Among People of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus is causing serious health concerns in countries like Pakistan. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 0.6 milion people were estimated to be infected with this virus in 2008. The authors aimed to assess knowledge regarding vaccination, testing and routes of transmission of hepatitis B virus among people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as such knowledge among masses will help limit the infection. People belonging to 12 different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were interviewed over a period of 5 months from October 2013 to February 2014. Apre-tested questionnaire was used and in-person survey of randomly selected 1,938 people was carried out throughout the province. Ninety-nine percent people said they knew about hepatitis B virus and 42% said they had got tested for it too. Out of them, 63.2% knew that a vaccine is available for hepatitis B virus. The proportion of respondents, who said hepatitis B virus can spread by sharing razors, toothbrush, syringes or sexual contact, was 97.94%, 95%, 99.3% and 77%, respectively. Only 28.7% knew, it can also spread vertically from mother to child during childbirth. People were quite aware of the routes of transmission of this disease, but they lacked knowledge regarding vaccination and prevention of this menace. Settings should be set up where routine preventive care and immunization services are provided.
authors.affiliation: Medical Student, Army Medical College, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Mamoon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Shaukat Khanum Cancer Memorial Hosptial, Lahore.
authors.forename: Nasrullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: Medical Student, Army Medical College, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Fatimah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.affiliation: Medical Student, Army Medical College, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Muneeb Ur
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Rehman
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Army Medical College, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rashid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D014611:Vaccination