HEPATITIS B INFECTION: DENTAL STUDENTS PRACTICE AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE DEADLY BLOOD BORNE VIRUS
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Keywords
Hepatitis B, Dental students, Needle-stick injuries
Abstract
Objective: comparing knowledge, attitude, and practice of clinical and non-clinical dental students towards Hepatitis B infection
Methodology: 200 dental students, of which 100 were chosen from non-clinical years in dental school, and the remaining 100 were chosen from clinical years in dental school for the study. They were given a validated questionnaire which they were to respond to. Questions in the questionnaire were regarding the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental students towards HBV infection. Data was collected and analyzed on SPSS version 24.0. The chi-square test was used to analyze between the two groups, with the level of significance set at P<0.05.
Results: The average age of dental students, both clinical and non-clinical was 22.23± 22 and 23.27 ±32 respectively. The female students were 115 (57.5%) and the male students in the study were 85 (42.5). Significant difference was seen in the knowledge of clinical and non-clinical students when it came to the mode of transmissions of HBV as well as its complication in causing liver carcinomas. A significant difference was seen in the attitude as well when asked if they would be comfortable in treating Hepatitis patients (p=0.001). Significant difference was also seen when asked of the screening status. All of the students in the study were vaccinated but not all of them were vaccinated with three doses.
Conclusion: Clinical-year dental students demonstrate superior knowledge, attitude, and practice compared to non-clinical-year students. Efforts should focus on enhancing Hepatitis awareness and relevant knowledge among all dental students, regardless of their academic year, to ensure better patient management and disease understanding.
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Farheen Hameed
Associate Professor, MBBS, MPhil (Pharmacology). Department of Pharmacology, Shahida Islam Medical & Dental College, Lodhran, Pakistan
Raisa Shaikh
MBBS, MPhil (Biochemistry), Senior Lecturer, Department of Biochemistry, Shahida Islam Medical & Dental College, Lodhran, Pakistan
Sama Ul Haque
MBBS, MPhil (Anatomy), Associate Professor, Anatomy, Fazaia Ruth Pfau Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
Javed Mahmood
MBBS, MPhil (Pathology), Senior Demonstrator, Department of Pathology, Shahida Islam Medical & Dental College, Lodhran, Pakistan
Mujeeb-Ur-Rehman Sahito
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MS (Urology), MPhil (Anatomy), Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Peoples’ University of Medical & Health Sciences for Women, Shaheed Benazirabad. Pakistan
Shazia Begum Shahani
MBBS, MPhil (Anatomy), Professor, Department of Anatomy, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan