Are Patients Diagnosed with Chronic Hepatitis B Aware of Their Disease?

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to determine the level of knowledge of patients being followed up with a diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B Infection about the disease, route of transmission, prevention and treatment.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between June-December 2016. The survey consisted ofquestions about demographic information, general information about the disease, routes of transmission, prevention, treatment and patient follow-up.Results: The questionnaire was administered to 500 patients. The mean age of the patients was 42.2±12.9years, 319 (63.8%) were male. In this study, 141 (28.2%) of the patients said that hepatitis B was not an infectious disease. The level of knowledge about the name of the disease, infectiousness and its complications wassignificantly high in patients with a high education level and in patients who were diagnosed with hepatitis Bfor more than five years. While 214 (98.7%) patients with high education level knew the name of the diseaseand 191 (88.0%) patients knew virus’ infectiousness and its complications. Three hundred twenty-one (97.6%)patients with hepatitis B for more than five years knew the name of the disease and 278 (84.5%) patients knewthe virus' infectiousness and its complications.Conclusion: Hepatitis B infection stil remains a critical health problem for both the patient and his environment. Increasing awareness of patients about their diseases will decrease the spread of infection and controlthe complications that may arise in the future due to hepatitis B.