Knowledge and information sources of Helicobacter pylori among Jordanian population: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

In 2017, the Jordanian Ministry of Health reported that gastric cancer was one of Jordan’s most commonly diagnosed cancers. Gastric cancer is often linked to Helicobacter pylori, one of the foremost risk factors. Despite the high prevalence of H. pylori in Jordan, no information is available regarding the general population's awareness of the harmful effects of this pathogen. The study aims to assess the knowledge and the impact of the source of knowledge on H. pylori among the general population in Jordan. A cross-sectional study involving 933 participants was conducted between May and July of 2021. After meeting the inclusion criteria and consenting to participate in this study, participants completed the questionnaire. The questionnaire was conducted interview-based, covering the following sections: sociodemographic data and knowledge related to H. pylori infection. 63% of the participants had a high level of education, 70.5% got their information about H. pylori infection from non-medical sources, and 68.7% had a low level of knowledge. Working in the medical field and attaining information from medical resources showed a significant association with a high level of knowledge, on the other hand, having a history of self-reported or family member of H.pylori infection also showed a significant association with a high level of knowledge. The Mann-Whitney U test showed that the mean ranks of all knowledge items in the medical source group significantly exceed those of the non-medical source group (p-values < 0.05). In Jordan, the awareness of H. pylori was unsatisfying, similar to other countries. Nevertheless, misconceptions in knowledge about H. pylori were identified and further awareness must be spread and advocated. Close observation of the non-medical sources of information is essential for delivering to the general population the sufficient amount of knowledge needed.