IJCEM Copyright © 2008-All rights reserved. Published by e-Century Publishing Corporation, Madison, WI 53711
Int J Clin Exp Med 2013;6(3):197-205

Original Article
Knowledge and attitude of medical science students toward hepatitis B and C
infections

Roya Mansour-Ghanaei, Farahnaz Joukar, Fatemeh Souti, Zahra Atrkar-Roushan

MS (Nursing), Faculty member, Gastrointestinal & Liver Diseases Research Center (GLDRC), Guilan University (Medical Sciences),
Rasht, Iran; MD, Researcher, Gastrointestinal & Liver Diseases Research Center (GLDRC), Guilan University (Medical Sciences),
Rasht, Iran; Vital statistics, Faculty member, Gastrointestinal & Liver Diseases Research Center (GLDRC), Guilan University (Medical
Sciences), Rasht, Iran

Received January 8, 2013; Accepted February 23, 2013; Epub March 21, 2013; Published March 31, 2013

Abstract: The present survey aimed to determine the knowledge level and attitude of medical students in Guilan University toward
Hepatitis B and C viruses’ infections. In a cross-sectional survey, the knowledge and attitude of 424 medical science undergraduate
students of nursing, midwifery, operating room technician, laboratory, anesthesiology and radiology in Guilan University of Medical
Sciences toward Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections were investigated using a standardized questionnaire.
The mean (SD) knowledge level of the medical students toward HBV and HCV were 17 ± 5 from 28 and 10.58 ± 6.7 from 29 questions
respectively. Females, nursing students, forth year students, those who worked in hospital and those who had needle stick injuries
(NSI) history showed significantly higher knowledge scores toward HBV (P< 0.05). Married students, anesthesiology students, those
who were in their fourth year of study, and those who worked in hospital had significantly higher mean knowledge scores toward HCV
(P< 0.05). Also students’ attitude toward HBV and HCV was positively correlated with their mean knowledge level (r=0.14, p=0.004), (r=0.
18, p=0.0001). Education on the nature, symptoms, transmission, prevention and treatment of HBV and HCV infections may increase
the willingness of health care workers to care for infected persons. (IJCEM1301003).

Keywords: Knowledge, attitude, medical students, hepatitis B, hepatitis C

Address correspondence to: Farahnaz Joukar, Faculty member Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center (GLDRC),
Guilan Univer-sity (Medical Sciences) Razi Hospital, Sardar-Jangle Ave, Postal Code: 41448-95655, Rasht, Iran. Tel: +98-131-535116;
Fax: +98-131-5534951; E-mail: farajov@gmail.com or f_jokar@gums.ac.ir