Sheena, Farzana Aamir, Shaista Tabassum, Atif Ahmed.
Assessment of knowledge and attitude towards hepatitis B and C on gender basis in underprivileged class.
Pak J Surg Jan ;30(1):91-4.

Objective: To assess the knowledge and att itude of underprivileged class patients towards Hepatitis B and C especially on gender basis. Design: Descriptive cross sectional study. Sett ing and duration: Out-patient departments of Gynecology and obstetrics and Medicine, Jinnah Medical Hospital, Korangi Industrial Area, Karachi from December 2013 to February 2014. Methodology: All married individuals (500 Males and 500 Females) between 20–50 years of age from out patients departments of Gynecology and obstetrics and Medicine were included in this study. Data was collected on a preformed questionnaire. Results were compiled and compared with national and international literature. Results: During this study period 500 males and 500 females visited in out patient’s department were asked questions regarding Hepatitis B and C. among all patients 83.8% females, 69.1% males were educated beyond primary level and 14% males and 16.1% females to primary level, while 37% females and 21% males were illiterate. Educated males and females patients had more knowledge than illiterate persons about cause, prevalence, organ involvement and needle contamination. Few alarming thing found in this study was lack of knowledge about disease transmission via sharing razors and sexual contact especially among educated persons. Th ere were also lack of knowledge and poor att itude of even educated persons towards use of condoms and screening of blood before transmission. Conclusion: Th ere is signifi cant lack of knowledge and poor att itude of people towards Hepatitis B and C in this area.

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