Knowledge, Attitude and Practices regarding Hepatitis B infection among young adults of a university in an Urban city in South India

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) remains a significant global public health concern, with varying morbidity and mortality in India and other low and middle income countries (LMICs). Even with an effective vaccine for Hepatitis B virus infections, knowledge and practice gaps are common, particularly among young adults, who represent a critical part of the population for prevention strategies. Very limited number of studies from India have examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of students regarding HBV in colleges and universities other than medical colleges.Objectives: To assess KAP regarding HBV among young adults enrolled in a university in urban South India, identify lacunae across KAP domains, and examine statistical correlations among these.Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 148 university students aged 18–26 years, surveyed using a self-designed, expert-validated questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted with SPSS v18. Knowledge scores were classified as good (≥70%), average (50–69%), or poor (<50%) based on the percentage of correct answers. For relationship between KAP domain scores Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used with p < 0.05 as significant.Results: Knowledge of HBV among the participants was generally poor to average. Only 24.3% identified all routes of transmission, 18.9% knew that HBV could be asymptomatic, and 27.7% knew the correct vaccination schedule. Only 53 participants (35.8%) reported being vaccinated against HBV, and 37.8% were unsure of their vaccination status. Attitudes were predominantly positive (>80% across all indicators). Correlation analysis showed strong association between knowledge and practice (r = 0.654, p < 0.0001), a moderate correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.422, p < 0.0001), and a weak but significant correlation between attitude and practice (r = 0.273, p = 0.0008).Conclusion: Despite good responses for attitudes, there are gaps in knowledge and vaccination practices for HBV infection among young adults. The strong knowledge–practice correlation underscores the importance of health education among the groups. The implementation of university-led awareness and immunization initiatives is essential to advance India’s objectives for viral hepatitis elimination by 2030.