KNOWLEDGE OF PATIENTS ATTENDING FREE HEPATITIS CLINIC AT CIVIL HOSPITAL KARACHI ABOUT HEPATITIS 'B' AND 'C'.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the awareness of patients suffering from hepatitis, relating to the modes of transmission, vaccination and treatment of hepatitis B & C. METHODS: A close-ended questionnaire was administered to patients suffering from hepatitis, who were at the Chief Minister's Hepatitis Program for free therapy. Informed verbal consent was obtained. Questions were asked in native language and filled in by the medical students based on patient responses. Frequencies of responses were calculated and compared by gender. RESULTS: A total of 195 patients' responses were recorded during the study period of two weeks. 81.0% understood that it could be transmitted through needle piercing, and 79.0% similarly felt that the disease can spread through sharing of razors. However, knowledge and coverage of vaccination for HBV was poor, with only 20.5% of the patients having been vaccinated, and 25.6% had any of their family members vaccinated. Only 14.4% of the patients correctly knew that there was an existing vaccine for HBV, whereas there was no vaccine for HCV. 70.8% knew that the disease could lead to cancer, and 71.3% thought that ascites could be another complication of the disease. CONCLUSION: Patients seemed to have some general knowledge regarding transmission and complications of HBV and HCV, however steps need to be taken in the future to ensure better coverage of the vaccine. The public needs to be educated further with respect to spread and especially vaccines, or the patients suffering from HBV and HCV will continue to rise in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]