Knowledge, attitude and preventive practices of hepatitis B infection among health trainees, northern region of Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20263158Keywords:
Hepatitis B, Ghana, Health traineesAbstract
Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major global health challenge, causing chronic liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, infection rates remain high, particularly among healthcare workers and trainees. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices regarding hepatitis B infection among health trainees at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale, Ghana.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 health trainees selected through stratified random sampling from six schools and faculties within the UDS Dungu Campus. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed with SPSS version 23. Descriptive statistics summarized participants’ characteristics, while Chi-square and multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with preventive practices. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.
Results: Overall, 58.3% of participants demonstrated good knowledge of hepatitis B. Most participants (70.5%) had positive attitudes, and 70% exhibited good preventive practices. 61% of participants had received at least a dose of Hepatitis B vaccine, though only 10.5% completed post-vaccination antibody testing. Good attitude significantly predicted good practice (AOR=4.495, 95% CI: 2.613-7.731, p<0.001). Female students were more than twice likely to practice prevention (AOR=2.212, 95% CI: 1.262-3.877, p=0.006).
Conclusions: Health trainees demonstrated moderate knowledge and generally positive attitudes toward hepatitis B prevention. However, gaps in screening, post-vaccination testing, and exposure reporting indicate the need for strengthened health education and institutional vaccination programmes in Ghana.
Metrics
References
Angelo AA, Teketelew BB, Berta DM, Chane E, Cherie N, Nigus M, et al. Knowledge, attitude, and practices towards hepatitis infection and its associated factors among adults in Gondar town, northwest Ethiopia; a community-based study, 2021. J Heal Populat Nutrit. 2024;43(1):178. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-024-00654-9
Deku JG, Aninagyei E, Kpene GE, Bedzina I, Mensah B, Agodey IK, et al. The burden and trends of Hepatitis B virus at a government hospital in Ghana. Ghana Med J. 2025;59(2):60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/gmj.v59i2.3
Erick E, Rwegoshola K, Ibrahim PM, Semvua H, Chilongola J. Incongruity between knowledge and preventive practices on hepatitis B infection among university students in Northeastern, Tanzania. East Afr Heal Res J. 2023;7(1):67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24248/eahrj.v7i1.710
Zhang Z, Chen C, Yao L, Zhang Q, Li Q, Lin Y, et al. Study on the relationship with knowledge, attitudes, and practices for prevention control of hepatitis B among university students in Hubei Province, China. Crit Publ Heal. 2025;35(1):2519772. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2025.2519772
Yakudima II, Magaji Y, Abdulkarim IA. Knowledge, attitude and practice towards Hepatitis B infection of people in part of Jigawa State, Nigeria. Dutse J Pure Appl Sci 2022;8(1a):117-30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/dujopas.v8i1a.13
Narh BL, Senoo-Dogbey VE, Akpagloh MC. Exposure to hepatitis B virus, post-exposure prophylaxis knowledge, and related factors among healthcare workers in a tertiary care military facility in Ghana: A cross-sectional analytical study. Sci Afr. 2025;28:e02768. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2025.e02768
Tawiah PA, Abaka-Yawson A, Effah ES, Arhin-Wiredu K, Oppong K. Prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis B virus infection among medical laboratory science students in a Ghanaian tertiary institution. J Heal Res. 2022;36(3):442-52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JHR-06-2020-0191
Hernandez OR, Moiko JK, Delis CY. Factors influencing awareness and practices of hepatitis B viral infection among students at the university for development studies in Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana. Open Access Library J. 2025;12(1):1-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1112715
World Health Organization. Viral hepatitis B and C burden of disease, WHO policy adoption status in countries, 2025. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/hq-hiv-hepatitis-and-stis-library/2025-whd-hep-information-sheet.pdf. Accessed 01 January 2026.
World Health Organization. Hepatitis B, 2025. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-b. Accessed 01 January 2026.
Sticher JS, Csermak KR, Otsyula N, Turkson M, Aubrun E, Oshagbemi OA. Prevalence of viral hepatitis in sub-Saharan Africa among the general population: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. BMJ open. 2025;15(9):e101029. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-101029
Abban E, Owusu E, Kwakye-Abebrese B, Koduah B, Boateng H, Korsah EE, et al. Knowledge and Testing of Hepatitis B Virus Infection and Vaccination Awareness among University Students in Kumasi, Ghana: A Cross‐Sectional Study. Scientifica. 2024;2024(1):4052837. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/4052837
Kumah A, Tormeti E, Dzando G, Nutakor HS, Amenuvor WA, Anagblah CK, et al. Knowledge, attitude and practices towards hepatitis B infection and vaccination among public health students in Ghana. Open J Prevent Medi. 2021;11(01):43-53. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpm.2021.111004
Babiker LM, Idriss AI, Idriss EI, Kheirelsid FE, Idriss Sr EI. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of the medical students of the university of medical sciences and technology towards hepatitis B Virus infection. Cureus. 2025 Jul 21;17(7). DOI: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.88402
Debsikréo N, Mankréo BL, Moukénet A, Ouangkake M, Mara N, Moussa AM, et al. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection and its associated factors among students in N’Djamena, Chad. PLoS One. 2024;19(4):e0273589. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273589
Mouinga-Ondeme A, Yaro M, Atome GR, Meba M, Longo-Pendy NM, Mourimarodi RM, et al. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection and associated factors among students living on campus in South-eastern Gabon. BMC Infect Dis. 2025;25(1):992. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-11409-0
Balegha AN, Yidana A, Abiiro GA. Knowledge, attitude and practice of hepatitis B infection prevention among nursing students in the Upper West Region of Ghana: A cross-sectional study. PloS one. 2021;16(10):e0258757. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258757
Aggarwal R, Ranganathan P. Study designs: Part 2–descriptive studies. Perspect Clin Res. 2019;10(1):34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/picr.PICR_154_18
Osei E, Niyilapah J, Kofi Amenuvegbe G. Hepatitis B knowledge, testing, and vaccination history among undergraduate public health students in Ghana. BioMed Res Int. 2019;2019(1):7645106. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7645106
Aniaku JK, Amedonu EK, Fusheini A. Assessment of knowledge, attitude and vaccination status of hepatitis B among nursing training students in Ho, Ghana. Ann Glob Heal. 2019;85(1):18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.750
Salia SM, Afaya A, Wuni A, Ayanore MA, Salia E, Kporvi DD, et al. Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding neonatal jaundice among caregivers in a tertiary health facility in Ghana. PloS one. 2021;16(6):e0251846. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251846
Vake M. Knowledge, attitude, and practices of clinical students at the Copperbelt university, school of medicine towards hepatitis b vaccination. J Hepatitis Res. 2024;8(1):1051.
de Villiers MJ, de Villiers E, Nayagam S, Hallett TB. Direct and indirect effects of hepatitis B vaccination in four low-and middle-income countries. Epidemics. 2024;49:100798. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epidem.2024.100798
Alhassan AR. Hepatitis B knowledge, attitude and vaccination status among nurses of Tamale Central Hospital, Ghana. Clin Res Clin Trials. 2021;3(3):1-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2693-4779/035
Egbe KA, Ike A, Egbe F. Knowledge and burden of hepatitis B virus in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Sci African. 2023;22:e01938. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2023.e01938
Ojurongbe TA, Sakeye TC, Afolabi HA, Bashiru KA, Opaleye OO, Ojurongbe O. Knowledge Attitude and Practice (KAP) of Hepatitis B (HBV) Infection among Tertiary Institution Students in the South-Western States of Nigeria. ATBU J Sci Technol Educat. 2023;10(4):446-53.
Almalki F, Alraffah YM, Alasiri RA, Dhafar MW, Albogami FM, Alhazmi MN, et al. Knowledge, attitude and practice towards hepatitis B infection and HBV vaccine among the healthy population in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Infect Drug Resist. 2025:2153-64. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S517243
Tamanna SS, Paul KD, Al Banna MH, Zannat Z, Paul AK, Sultana S, et al. Assessment of preventive practices towards hepatitis B infection among nursing students in Bangladesh: role of knowledge, attitudes and sociodemographic factors. BMC Nursing. 2024;23(1):190. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01870-8
Aynalem A, Deribe B, Ayalew M, Mamuye A, Israel E, Mebratu A, et al. Practice towards Hepatitis B virus infection prevention and its associated factors among undergraduate students at Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Sidama, Ethiopia, 2021: Cross‐Sectional Study. Int J Hepatol. 2022;2022(1):2673740. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2673740
Gyimah AA, Peprah P, Agyemang-Duah W, Frimpong E, Tsiboe AK, Darkwa MA. Hepatitis B vaccination status and associated factors among university students in Ghana: A cross-sectional survey. Publ Heal Prim Heal Care. 2021;8:e2005226. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2021.2005226
Okwan DK, Scott GY, Takyi P, Boateng CO, Antwi PB, Abrampah AA, et al. A multicentre cross‐sectional study on Hepatitis B vaccination coverage and associated factors among personnel working in health facilities in Kumasi, Ghana. BioMed Res Int. 2024;2024(1):8899638. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/8899638
Amedonu EK, Aniaku JK. Assessment of high school students’ knowledge, attitudes and vaccination status of hepatitis B virus in Hohoe, Ghana: A cross-sectional study. Open Publ Heal J. 2020;13(1):298-305. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2174/1874944502013010298
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
