Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Towards Hepatitis B Infection and HBV Vaccine Among the Healthy Population in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Fahd Almalki, Yousef M Alraffah, Rehab A Alasiri, Mohammed W Dhafar, Fay Matar Albogami, Mohammed N Alhazmi, Abdulaziz Musnnif Alyazidi, Laila A Alharbi, Manal E Alotaibi Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Fahd Almalki, Department...

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Main Authors: Almalki F, Alraffah YM, Alasiri RA, Dhafar MW, Albogami FM, Alhazmi MN, Alyazidi AM, Alharbi LA, Alotaibi ME
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-04-01
Series:Infection and Drug Resistance
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Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/knowledge-attitude-and-practice-towards-hepatitis-b-infection-and-hbv--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IDR
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Summary:Fahd Almalki, Yousef M Alraffah, Rehab A Alasiri, Mohammed W Dhafar, Fay Matar Albogami, Mohammed N Alhazmi, Abdulaziz Musnnif Alyazidi, Laila A Alharbi, Manal E Alotaibi Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Fahd Almalki, Department of Medicine, UQU College of Medicine, Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia, Email Fmamalki@uqu.edu.saBackground: The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the main causes of end-stage liver disease. The study aims to assess knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding HBV infection and its vaccine in Makkah to help improve and refine preventive strategies.Methods: A cross-sectional study using an electronic questionnaire distributed through social media platforms to assess KAP related to HBV infection and its vaccine among 400 healthy adults living in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.Results: The study assessed KAP with regard to HBV infection among 413 participants, predominantly male (55.0%) with a high educational level (69.0% holding university degrees). Participants displayed strong knowledge, achieving a 74.35% correct response rate, with 85.7% recognising it as a viral infection and 91.3% acknowledging its preventability. Attitudes towards vaccination were positive, with 84.62% supporting its necessity and 90.8% affirming its effectiveness. Practice patterns showed proactive prevention, with 64.2% of them being vaccinated and 87.4% valuing early immunisation for children. Higher education correlated with better knowledge and attitude, indicating a high level of awareness and positive behaviour towards hepatitis B and its vaccination among participants.Conclusion: The study found that a high percentage of respondents in Makkah, Saudi Arabia (90.3%) recognised the importance of hepatitis B vaccination, with 80.4% willing to avoid high-risk contact with infected individuals. Despite this awareness, misconceptions and stigma persist, especially among certain demographic groups.Keywords: knowledge, attitude, practice, hepatitis B, vaccination, Saudi Arabia
ISSN:1178-6973