Seroprevalence, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Prevention of Hepatitis C among Municipal Waste Collectors in Penang Island, Malaysia

Abdulrahman, Surajudeen Abiola; Maideen, Siti Fatimah Kader; Rahim, Fairuz Fadzilah; Din, Abdul Rashid Khan Md Jagar

doi:10.24191/jchs.v4i1.7282

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Most studies exploring the knowledge and awareness of liver diseases in Malaysia were largely focused on hepatitis B [13][14][15][16][17] and hepatitis C [18,19] among study populations of certain demographics, for example, university students [15,18], nurses [13], residing in a single town [13,16,17,19], having had prior diagnosis [17]. These studies consistently found that the study populations had misconceptions about the mode of transmission of hepatitis B and/or C. While there had been an increasing focus on NAFLD in Malaysia [20], there were limited or no studies exploring the awareness and knowledge of NAFLD in Malaysia. In a recent regional liver index study, Malaysia ranked ninth among the 11 Asian countries/territories surveyed [21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the knowledge, awareness, and attitudes of the public towards liver diseases in Malaysia

Mohamed

Yip²,

Singh³

2023

European Journal of Gastroenterology &Amp; Hepatology

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Background Viral hepatitis B and C (HBV, HCV) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are the commonest etiologies of liver-related deaths in Malaysia. Herein, this study aims to explore and understand the knowledge and attitudes of the public toward liver-related health and diseases in Malaysia. Methods A cross-sectional, self-reported, web-based questionnaire was conducted among 500 adults between February and March 2020. Questionnaire items pertained to the knowledge and attitudes toward liver-related health and diseases. Results Half of the respondents were aged ≥35 years and 52.0% were males. Gaps in knowledge included the lack of awareness of different types of hepatitis, including the potential transmission risks and complications of HBV and HCV. About half acknowledged liver fibrosis and cirrhosis as key determinants of liver-related disease progression. A higher proportion rightly recognized the diagnostic test for HCV (40.8%) than HBV (30.0%) despite more being aware of HBV than HCV. Less than one-third were aware of the risk factors, screening tests, and complications of NAFLD. Despite the majority (92.8%) agreeing that regular screening was important for liver health, only 67.0% attended recent health screening and one-fifth were unlikely to seek medical consultation upon exposure to viral hepatitis risk factors. Reasons for this low urgency included the perception of being healthy, cost-related concerns, and societal discrimination. Conclusion Robust education efforts are needed to raise awareness and empower the community with knowledge of liver-related diseases, particularly viral hepatitis and NAFLD in Malaysia.

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