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. 2024 Aug 5;24(1):2112.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19577-5.

Impact of educational interventions on hepatitis B and C awareness among school students of Delhi NCR, India

Kanica Kaushal  1 , Priyanka Aggarwal  2 , Neha Dahiya  3 , Guresh Kumar  4
Affiliations

Impact of educational interventions on hepatitis B and C awareness among school students of Delhi NCR, India

Kanica Kaushal et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Viral hepatitis, particularly B and C, is a major cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer, leading to about 1.4 million deaths annually. Alarmingly, less than 20% of those with hepatitis are aware of their status, with only 6.3% receiving treatment. School children can play a pivotal role in raising awareness and preventing the spread of infections. This intervention study focuses on understanding and enhancing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to Hepatitis B and C, among school children in Delhi NCR to foster dialogue and awareness.

Methods: An intervention study was conducted in selected schools across Delhi NCR between September and October 2022 to assess baseline knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to Hepatitis B and C. Three of seven schools were randomly selected by probability sampling, representing 9-12 grade students, and 901 students participated. Following this, an educational interventional program was conducted using educational material, interactive sessions, and audiovisual aids. Post-intervention assessments were done to measure the impact on knowledge improvement.

Results: The study is expected to provide insights into the current level of awareness regarding Hepatitis B and C. Furthermore, the intervention's effectiveness was analysed using the pre-formed questionnaire. The average pre-test knowledge score was 8.9 ± 3.2, while the post-test average was 15.6 ± 4.4, indicating a substantial increase of 6.7 ± 4.7 points (+ 75.2%). There was a positive correlation of 0.240 between pre and post-test scores. Attitude change before and after the session showed a positive percentage change of + 38.0% with a correlation of 0.351. The study indicated substantial improvements in knowledge about hepatitis B and C, notably regarding awareness about transmission methods and risk factors.

Conclusion: This interventional study seeks to bridge the knowledge gap among school children regarding Hepatitis B and C in Delhi NCR, fostering a proactive approach towards prevention, detection, and treatment. The considerable rise in awareness and favourable changes in perspectives post-intervention say that specific health education initiatives are pivotal in raising awareness and comprehension of infectious diseases, ultimately contributing to improving community health.

Keywords: Attitude; Communicable disease; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; IndiaManuscript; Knowledge; Practice; Schools.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Correlation between Knowledge and Attitude towards Hepatitis B and C
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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