Abstract
Aim: This study is aimed to assess the levet awareness of the risk factors and complications of viral hepatitis among the residents of Arar city - KSA.
Material and Methods: A pre-designed questionnaire was used, which was filled by willing participants who were residents of Arar city, KSA. The questionnaire included fourteen questions about factors, which increase the risk of HBV & HCV infection, and four questions about the complication of HBV, HCV and HEV infection. The questionnaire also included three questions about risk factors of hepatitis A and E virus infection. The participants have been divided into two categories. Category 1 included people with a school education, while category 2 included persons with a university education.
Results: A total of 482 willing participants completely filled the questionnaire, of which 79.5% were males and 20.5 % females. Among these participants, 78.8% had a university education, while 21.2% belonged to category 1 (school level education). Awareness of the risk factors for HBV and HCV infection is better among the people with a university education than among people with lower education level. Awareness of the risk of spreading HBV and HCV after needle-stick injury (needle of used syringes), close contact with infected person's blood and body fluids, and from an infected mother to a baby is low in the significant majority of persons from both categories.
Discussion: Awareness of certain factors, which increase the risk of transmission of HBV and HCV is deficient among people, and awareness of these factors needs to be raised in the community.