Coparison of knowledge and attitudes regarding hepatitis B among students of Faculty of medicine, University of Mostar

Abstract

Background: Healthcare professionals, including medical and dental students, are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis B infection.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine and compare the knowledge and attitudes of the students of medicine and dental medicine of Faculty of Medicine, University of Mostar, about hepatitis B.

Subjects and Methods: The examinees in this study were students of the first and second grade of medical studies and studies of dental medicine. The sample included 105 (71.4%) students of medicine and 42 (28.6%) students of dental medicine. The study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Mostar, through the attached questionnaire.

Results: Overall, the medical students and dental medicine students showed good knowledge about hepatitis B. Medical students showed much more positive attitudes towards hepatitis B positive patients than dental medicine students. Dental medicine students are more concerned about possible infections and general interactions with infected patients, and would statistically significantly reject to provide healthcare services to hepatitis B positive patients compared to the medical students.

Conclusion: It was established that dental medicine students showed a little bit more understanding of the transmission patterns and symptoms of hepatitis B than the medical students. By contrast, medical students showed much more positive attitudes towards patients with hepatitis B than dental medicine students.