Prevalence and Factors Associated with Hepatitis B Infection Among Outpatient Adults in South- Western Uganda
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Hepatic Medicine: Evidence and Research
Abstract
About 2 billion people in the world are exposed to hepatitis B virus. Africa contributes 25% of the global Hepatitis
B burden and prevalence in Uganda is 4.3%. Routine testing to establish the burden, improve prevention and control through early
diagnosis and management are rare in hospital settings. We aimed at establishing the prevalence and factors associated with hepatitis
B infection among adults attending outpatient clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) in Uganda.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among outpatients attending MRRH. Consecutive sampling method
was used to recruit participants. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect data. Blood samples were collected to
test HBsAg. Summary statistics were used to describe the socio-demographic characteristics of study participants and the proportion of
Serostatus for hepatitis B infection. Bivariate followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the factors
associated with hepatitis B infections. All independent variables with p-values <0.2 were entered into a multivariate model to adjust
for confounding. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: A total of 400 participants were recruited. 64.5% were females (n=258) and aged 18–29 years (48.5%, n=193). Overall, 22
(5.5%) participants were found to be seropositive for hepatitis B infection. Residing in Kiruhura district (AOR = 11.9, 95% CI: 2.40–
59.25, p<0.003) was significantly associated with hepatitis B infection while being female (AOR = 0.3, 95% CI: 0.11–0.88, p<0.018)
was protective.
Conclusion: Prevalence of hepatitis B infection among adult patients attending outpatient clinic at MRRH was 5.5% with male
gender and residing in Kiruhura district as factors associated with high prevalence of hepatitis B infection. Ministry of Health should
scale up hepatitis B routine testing and treatment at MRRH and its catchment area, with special control programs such as screening,
vaccination, and sensitization involving men.
Description
Keywords
Hepatitis B, Prevalence, Associated factors
Citation
Elias Rugaatwa Ndibarema, Ronald Olum, David Ayebare & Jerome Kabakyenga (2022) Prevalence and Factors Associated with Hepatitis B Infection Among Outpatient Adults in South-Western Uganda, Hepatic Medicine: Evidence and Research, , 163-172, DOI: 10.2147/HMER.S381809