Knowledge, Attitude and Seroprevalence of Hepatitis B Infection among Medical Laboratory Scientists

Abstract

Introduction: Hepatitis B infection is caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The infection is a public health problem worldwide. Health care workers (HCWs) face a wide range of hazards during work which include needle prick injuries and splashes during blood aspiration. Health-care workers especially Medical Laboratory Scientists/Technicians sometimes do not protect themselves from these hazards. The aim of this work was to study the knowledge and attitude of laboratory workers to HBV in other to emphasize on stringent precautional measures to help curb the spread of the infection among the health workers and others. Methodology: This study was a cross sectional descriptive study of HBV awareness and prevalence. A total of 200 Medical Laboratory Scientists working in different health institutions gave their consent and participated in the study within Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The results were analyzed statistically. Results: Majority demonstrated high level of knowledge of the infection, including routes of transmission, predisposing factors and preventive measures. However, they engaged in some risky behaviors such as blood spillage (97%), recapping of blood containers without wearing gloves (66.0%) and not wearing of protective coats (49.0%). Their health seeking behavior was poor; hence 61.5% of them were not vaccinated. Conclusion: Mandatory vaccination program should be enforced and compliance should be ensured.