A Cross-sectional Study on the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices toward Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination Status among Lao Dental Students

Introduction: hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global health problem is a worldwide health concern. The health worker are risk of exposure especially among dentist, to prevent and control of HBV infection is need to have Good knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP).This study had been assessed the KAP of hepatitis B virus infection prevention and investigate the vaccination status among Lao dental student at the University of Health Sciences.

Aim: To investigate Lao dental university students’ knowledge, attitudes and practices towards hepatitis B virus vaccination status

Methods: A cross-sectional study with quantitative method using a questionnaires comprising 42 questions was designed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards hepatitis B virus infection among dental students at the University of Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry and serum was test for HBV surface antigen by rapid test and anti HB surface antigen were quantified by ELISA. Statistical package for Social Sciences Program SPSS and the Chi- square test were used in describe compare variables and P value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Among of 223 participants were retained for the study out of 304 in dental students, the mean age was 23.6(SD 3.5) year and 60.1% were female. 102(45.7%) of dental students had good level of knowledge of HBV infection, the women were 1.17time (95%CI:1.03-1.33, P= .01). more likely to had a good knowledge than man. Participants with 4th year students level were more (95%CI: 0.04(0.00-0.31) P< .001) likely have good level knowledge than another students level. with 96.4% were recognized that dentist and health care worker are at risk of contracting, with 71.8% agree that HBV is the most wide spread. About 63.2%of the students agree that all health care worker should receive the B virus vaccination before working in the dental clinic. Only1.3% has received at least one dose of HBV vaccine, in contrast 88.3% who never had any dose of HBV vaccine. The proportion of HBsAg was 1.3% which indicated that chronic HBV infection and the unsophisticated of HBV infection were 87%.

Conclusion: The dental students are high risk of HBV infection because of very low vaccine uptake. present study reveals an overall shown that they have low level of knowledge, fair attitude, and practice, therefore we recommend that all dental students should be receive 3 doses of vaccine before their entry into clinical practice area.