Awareness, knowledge, and practice for hepatitis B infection in Southeast Asia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Southeast Asia is high. Awareness and early detection are essential for timely prevention and treatment. Methodology: We examined the awareness of, knowledge about, practices and views on treatment for HBV infection in Southeast Asia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2016 to February 2017 among individuals from six nations in Southeast Asia-Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Singapore. The study population comprised healthcare and non-healthcare personnel. Results: In total, 799 healthcare personnel and 1079 non-healthcare personnel completed an online survey. The prevalence of the awareness of their own HBV infection status and risk of this regionally endemic infection was 85.6% (684/799) among healthcare personnel and 54.0% (583/1079) among non-healthcare personnel. Similarly, 85.9% of healthcare personnel and 45.5% of non-healthcare personnel had good knowledge about disease transmission, complications, and the need for treatment, and 76.6% of healthcare personnel and 39.8% of nonhealthcare personnel followed good HBV infection-prevention practices. Overall, 90.6% found the idea of treatment acceptable. Awareness had a significant impact on both knowledge and practice scores among both healthcare personnel and non-healthcare personnel (p < 0.01) but without statistically significant differences in treatment acceptance between the two groups (p = 0.61). Conclusions: Awareness of HBV infection was relatively low among non-healthcare personnel in Southeast Asian populations. The provision of additional hepatitis B awareness campaigns is crucial to eliminating viral hepatitis in the region.

Contextual and individual factors associated with knowledge, awareness and attitude on liver diseases: A large‐scale Asian study

“…Approximately one‐quarter had misunderstood that hepatitis is transmissible by mosquito bites. These misconceptions of the transmission modes of viral hepatitis may be irrespective of a country/territory's liver index, wherein, similar findings were also observed in some community‐based surveys across Asia 31,32,41 . A survey in India showed that only 3 in 10 people were knowledgeable about the different modes of transmission of HBV 32,41 .…”

“…These misconceptions of the transmission modes of viral hepatitis may be irrespective of a country/territory's liver index, wherein, similar findings were also observed in some community-based surveys across Asia. 31,32,41 A survey in India showed that only 3 in 10 people were knowledgeable about the different modes of transmission of HBV. 32,41 In Pakistan, a study also reported that majority of the study population had expressed confusions regarding the transmission mode and vaccination protocols of HBV and HCV, which were corrected during an awareness campaign.…”

“…Consistent with previously published studies, individual-level risk factors (eg older age, higher education qualification and socioeconomic status) were observed to be associated with knowledge, awareness of, and attitudes towards liver diseases. 31,32 In view of public health, it is also important to understand the association of macro-level factors. The three-step multilevel analysis approach used in this study identified factors influencing the liver index as well as the contextual effect.…”

Public awareness and knowledge of liver health and diseases in Singapore

“…These findings were not unique to Singapore and were also commonly observed in community studies conducted across Southeast Asia. 40,41 Like HBV, HCV is also a blood-borne disease; however, there is currently no available vaccine to prevent HCV, which remains a common misperception globally. 42 Instead, the recent development of oral DAA treatment regimens for HCV resulted in a successful initial cure rate of up to 99% with minimal side effects, prompting a step closer towards WHO's viral HCV eradication goal.…”

“…These findings were not unique to Singapore and were also commonly observed in community studies conducted across Southeast Asia. 40 , 41 …”