Awareness among people about hepatitis in rural areas of Faisalabad [Pakistan]

Hepatitis was inflammation of liver that could be caused by various viruses. Hepatitis B was a type of liver infection caused by virus B. It was 1.00 times more infectious than Aids. Hepatitis B not only caused liver cirrhosis but liver cancer as well. It was spreading at an alarming pace in Pakistan. According to different studies every 10th person was a carrier of Hepatitis B. Carrier was a person who was apparently healthy but could spread the disease to others. There was no effective cure for Hepatitis B, but prevention was possible through vaccination only. Hepatitis was a major health problem worldwide and was a major cause of morbidity and mortality in human beings. Viral hepatitis is a systematic infection caused by many viruses. Some of these were hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) hepatitis C virus (HCV). Since virus is prevailing in all parts of human body, it could spread with coughing, sneezing, sexual contact and unsanitary conditions. Hepatitis was a inflammatory diseases of liven caused by viruses and various other agents. All known types of viral hepatitis were endemic throughout world and hepatitis was of two types acute and chronic. In acute liver disease, patients showed symptoms of fever, jaundice, vomiting and excrete dark urine. Whereas in chronic disease patients showed symptoms of abdominal discomfort due to stretching of liver capsule. Population study was an important subject in sociology. Here we studied the birth and death rates because both were essential for the development of any country. We also studied the cause of mortality and try to know whether these high death rates were due to certain diseases. For the last few years, hepatitis has become a major cause of aids, high morbidity rates and high mortality rates. But here our special concern was with hepatitis. Awareness in society was very essential for rehabilitation of patients of hepatitis. Medical sociologist could help them in providing assistance through NGO's and make them able to work and live as an ordinary person, who could play his productive role for the development of society. The present study was conducted in Civil, Allied, National, Social Security, Faisal Hospitals and Clinical Patients. A sample of 80 respondents was selected with purposive method of sampling. The data was collected with the help of interviewing schedule. The salient findings of study were 1. There were more males than females in the study. 2. Most of the respondents belonged to the age of 46 and above, whereas a less number of the respondents were from the age group 18. 3. Most respondents were from Civil Hospital. 4. Majority (8.8 percent) of respondents were unvaccinated which denotes poor economic condition of the people. 5. Most (81.4 percent) of respondents were married. 6. 48.8 percent of the respondents were illiterate which denotes our poor literacy rate. 7. 48 percent of the respondents belonged to low income group. 8. About 36.3 percent of the respondents were unskilled worker. Consequently they had poor income and were Mustehkin-e- Zakat in real sense. 9. Majority 78.8 percent of the respondents were unawared of hepatitis, whereas 21.2 percent of respondent were awared of hepatitis. 10. Most of 67.5 percent of the respondents had no knowledge about source of transmission of hepatitis, whereas 32.5 percent of them had knowledge about source transmission. The Present study showed that blood, transfusion was a major risk factor in transmission of virus by using epacks syringes, contaminated razors instruments, dental treatment Ear and nose piercing with infected needles, sharing of infected persons hair and tooth brush and infected pregnant mother to new born. 11. Majority of 70 percent of the respondents had no knowledge to protect themselves from hepatitis, whereas 30 percent of them had knowledge about it. This high percentage of respondents denotes lack of knowledge in the matter of marital sex-relation, use of non-reusable disposable syringes, blood testing for blood donation, use of new taut for shaving by barber and good hygienic conditions. All these showed unawareness among people to protect themselves from hepatitis. 12. About 26 percent of the respondents were suffering from Hepatitis C virus, whereas 15.0 percent of them were suffering from Hepatitis B. virus. 13. According to study 17.5 suffered due to reuse of blood, syringes, barber's shaving method and major surgery e.g. Tily, Pita, Kidney, whereas minimum 1.3 percent of the respondents suffered from hepatitis due to coughing syrup. This 17.5 percentage of the respondents denotes unawareness about it. 14. A major proportion 47.5 percent of respondents were consulted Govt. health centre before coining to the hospital, whereas 1.3 percent of the respondent consulted Homeopathic and peer (Religious leader). This percentage of suffered denotes illness, economic problem and family tradition. 15. Majority 56.3 percent of families attitude towards patient were very cooperative, whereas 1.3 percent of them faced hatred attitude of their family. 16. Most 82.5 percent of the respondents were facing psychological discomfort, whereas 8.8 percent of them were in comma/Anemia. 17. Most 65.0 percent of the respondents were facing economic problem during medical treatment, whereas 3.7 percent of respondents had sold their house during treatment. 18. About 38 percent of the respondents told that mortality rate is increasing, whereas 1.3 percent of the respondents were facing (+ ve attitude) of relative. This high increased of mortality rate denote impact of hepatitis on society. 19. Most 58.8 percent of the respondent were those who had not been provided any social and economic help by Social welfare Department for treatment, whereas 41.2 percent of them did receive help in the form of medicine. It denotes that social welfare department was useful source of great help for needy and helpless people. 20. Majority 65.0 percent of the respondents had no knowledge about hepatitis which is caused by heavy drinking of alcohol, whereas 35.0 percent of respondents had knowledge about it. This high percentage denotes awareness among people about hepatitis. 21. Significant association was found between literacy rate and awareness among people about hepatitis. 22. Significant association was found between economically good people and awareness among people about hepatitis. 23. Significant association was found between vaccination rate and awareness among people about hepatitis. 24. Significant association was found between income of the family and vaccination rate of the hepatitis. 25. Significant association was found between education and vaccination rate of the hepatitis.