title: Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices toward prevention of hepatitis B virus infection among students of medicine and health sciences in Northwest Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the health setting is a global public health problem. The risk of occupational exposure to HBV among health care workers is a major concern, especially among students in health professions. In Ethiopia, very little is known about the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of trainees in the health professions towards occupational risk of HBV. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the level of KAP of medicine and health Sciences students in Northwest Ethiopia towards occupational risk of HBV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2015 to June 2015. A total of 246 students of health care professions were included into the study using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using self-administered structured questionnaire and analysed by using SPSS version 20.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Majority of the study participants, (>80 %) had an adequate knowledge on risk factors for HBV, its mode of transmissions, and preventions. Two hundred of 246 (83.3 %) participants had positive attitude towards following infection control guidelines, and 201 (81.7 %) respondents believe that all HCWs should take HBV vaccine. However, only 5 (2 %) students had completed the three doses schedule of HBV vaccination. Whereas, a significant number of students, 66 (26.8 %), had been exposed to blood/body fluid via needle stick injury at least once since they started their training in the health facility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study found that trainees in health profession are at a very high risk of contracting HBV infection during their training owing to the low HBV vaccine uptake rate and high rate of accidental exposure to blood. Thus, we recommend that all students in the health profession should be vaccinated prior to their entry into professional practices.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O.Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Abdnur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdela
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O.Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Berhanu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Woldu
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O.Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Kassahun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haile
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O.Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Biniam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mathewos
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O.Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia. tekalign09@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tekalign
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deressa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attitude; Health science students; Hepatitis B; Knowledge; Northwest Ethiopia; Occupational exposure