Hepatitis B Infection in Outpatients and Pregnant Women Visiting a Mission Hospital in Ghana
ABSTRACT Millions of individuals worldwide suffer from hepatitis B, a serious, potentially fatal liver infection brought on by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Although vaccines are available for HBV, infections continue to persist in Ghana. This study reports the prevalence of HBV infections in outpati...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Public Health Challenges |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/puh2.70071 |
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| author | Margaret Addo Sule Apaame Michael Abbey Ghanney Hannah Konadu Adu Michael E. DeWitt Seth Offei Addo |
| author_facet | Margaret Addo Sule Apaame Michael Abbey Ghanney Hannah Konadu Adu Michael E. DeWitt Seth Offei Addo |
| author_sort | Margaret Addo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Millions of individuals worldwide suffer from hepatitis B, a serious, potentially fatal liver infection brought on by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Although vaccines are available for HBV, infections continue to persist in Ghana. This study reports the prevalence of HBV infections in outpatients and pregnant women attending antenatal care at the Seventh‐day Adventist (SDA) Hospital in Gbawe, Ghana. This retrospective cohort study involved the review of de‐identified medical records of outpatients and pregnant women who visited the hospital between 2022 and 2024. Data on their HBV infection status, sex and age were analysed using R version 4.4.1. A total of 531 outpatients and 768 pregnant women visited the hospital during the study period. The prevalence of HBV infection was 7.5% in outpatients and 3.9% in pregnant women. It was observed that outpatients were more likely to be hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive (OR = 2.0, 95%CI = 1.24–3.28, p = 0.005). It was also seen that HBV prevalence increased from 2022 to 2023 and decreased in 2024. There is a need for more educational campaigns to raise awareness of HBV infections, especially in pregnant women due to the risk of mother‐to‐child transmission. Furthermore, vaccinations need to be made affordable and easily accessible to the general population to ensure maximum coverage within the country. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4c32ea7a3fdd469d93e0daa67e6fd52e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2769-2450 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Challenges |
| spelling | doaj-art-4c32ea7a3fdd469d93e0daa67e6fd52e2025-08-20T03:16:14ZengWileyPublic Health Challenges2769-24502025-06-0142n/an/a10.1002/puh2.70071Hepatitis B Infection in Outpatients and Pregnant Women Visiting a Mission Hospital in GhanaMargaret Addo0Sule Apaame1Michael Abbey Ghanney2Hannah Konadu Adu3Michael E. DeWitt4Seth Offei Addo5Gbawe Seventh Day Adventist Hospital Gbawe GhanaGbawe Seventh Day Adventist Hospital Gbawe GhanaGbawe Seventh Day Adventist Hospital Gbawe GhanaGbawe Seventh Day Adventist Hospital Gbawe GhanaDepartment of Internal Medicine Section on Infectious Diseases Wake Forest University School of Medicine Winston‐Salem North Carolina USAParasitology Department Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana Accra GhanaABSTRACT Millions of individuals worldwide suffer from hepatitis B, a serious, potentially fatal liver infection brought on by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Although vaccines are available for HBV, infections continue to persist in Ghana. This study reports the prevalence of HBV infections in outpatients and pregnant women attending antenatal care at the Seventh‐day Adventist (SDA) Hospital in Gbawe, Ghana. This retrospective cohort study involved the review of de‐identified medical records of outpatients and pregnant women who visited the hospital between 2022 and 2024. Data on their HBV infection status, sex and age were analysed using R version 4.4.1. A total of 531 outpatients and 768 pregnant women visited the hospital during the study period. The prevalence of HBV infection was 7.5% in outpatients and 3.9% in pregnant women. It was observed that outpatients were more likely to be hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive (OR = 2.0, 95%CI = 1.24–3.28, p = 0.005). It was also seen that HBV prevalence increased from 2022 to 2023 and decreased in 2024. There is a need for more educational campaigns to raise awareness of HBV infections, especially in pregnant women due to the risk of mother‐to‐child transmission. Furthermore, vaccinations need to be made affordable and easily accessible to the general population to ensure maximum coverage within the country.https://doi.org/10.1002/puh2.70071Ghana | hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection | outpatients | pregnant women |
| spellingShingle | Margaret Addo Sule Apaame Michael Abbey Ghanney Hannah Konadu Adu Michael E. DeWitt Seth Offei Addo Hepatitis B Infection in Outpatients and Pregnant Women Visiting a Mission Hospital in Ghana Public Health Challenges Ghana | hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection | outpatients | pregnant women |
| title | Hepatitis B Infection in Outpatients and Pregnant Women Visiting a Mission Hospital in Ghana |
| title_full | Hepatitis B Infection in Outpatients and Pregnant Women Visiting a Mission Hospital in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Hepatitis B Infection in Outpatients and Pregnant Women Visiting a Mission Hospital in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hepatitis B Infection in Outpatients and Pregnant Women Visiting a Mission Hospital in Ghana |
| title_short | Hepatitis B Infection in Outpatients and Pregnant Women Visiting a Mission Hospital in Ghana |
| title_sort | hepatitis b infection in outpatients and pregnant women visiting a mission hospital in ghana |
| topic | Ghana | hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection | outpatients | pregnant women |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/puh2.70071 |
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