Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of Hepatitis-B Vaccine among Pregnant Women Attending Primary Health Facilities in Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Pregnant women are at high risk of mother-to-child transmission, and a lack of education about the knowledge of the Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV), especially in developing countries like Nigeria, contributes to an increase in cases. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception (KAP) of the Hepatitis B vaccine among pregnant women attending primary health care facilities in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. Methodology: A facility-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in 8 primary health care facilities, between August and September 2024, using a well-structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. Results: The distribution of the respondents revealed a diverse educational background. While a significant proportion had no formal education (34.9%), the majority attained a tertiary education (40.1%). The KAP level showed that most respondents (76.1%) had moderate knowledge about the HBV, while only a few (3.7%) had high knowledge. While nearly half had a moderate attitude (48.0%) and perception (48.6%), only 21.6% and 15.9% had a high attitude and perception, respectively. The major source of information for the vaccine was the health staff (61.4%), followed by social media (19.9%) and town announcers (16%). All the socio-demographic characteristics were significantly associated with KAP of HBV, except marital status, educational level and occupational status, which were not significantly associated with perception towards HBV. Conclusion: This study revealed that most respondents had moderate knowledge, attitude, and perception towards the Hepatitis B vaccine, influenced by socio-demographic factors. Health education and promotion programmes should be strengthened to improve the knowledge, attitude, and perception of the Hepatitis B vaccine among pregnant women. We also recommend the integration of HBV and its awareness into routine antenatal care (ANC) services in the primary health facilities.
Source: World Journal of Public Health
Authors: Zorka Nwinee, Amaka Ogba, Anthony Wegbom
Institution: Rivers State University
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4415662183