Euroasian journal of hepato-gastroenterology

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VOLUME 3 , ISSUE 1 ( January-June, 2013 ) > List of Articles

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Risk of Hepatitis among Undergraduates attending Primary Health Care Facility in Uyo

Ajulo Matthew Olugbenga, Ajulo Hephzibah Oluwatoyin, Etuk Ifiok Okon

Citation Information : Matthew Olugbenga A, Hephzibah Oluwatoyin A, Ifiok Okon E. Risk of Hepatitis among Undergraduates attending Primary Health Care Facility in Uyo. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 2013; 3 (1):23-27.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1056

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 01-08-2017

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2013; The Author(s).


Abstract

Sexuality encompasses sexual intercourse and sexual contact in all its forms, as well as medical concerns about the physiological or even psychological aspects of sexual behavior. Aim of the study was to observe the relationship between sexuality, drug use and hepatitis infection among university students. The study involved distribution of questionnaires and informed consent forms to 200 volunteer undergraduates after ethical approval was obtained from Primary Health Care Center, Uyo. The filled questionnaires were returned and blood samples were collected from the volunteers for hepatitis A and B screening tests. The result showed that the majority (69.3%) of the volunteer undergraduates were in their penultimate and final year of study. More than half (58.2%) of the volunteer students have had sexual intercourse with one (69.39%) or more than one (7.14%) sex partners with the use of barrier method in most (91.23%) of the study population that had sexual activity while few (8.77%) failed to use barrier method. Rate of sexual activity varies among the volunteer undergraduates as once daily (4.08%), once weekly (17.35%), twice weekly (5.10%) and abstinence (22.45%). Among the volunteer undergraduates, few (19.4%) had viral hepatitis screening while majority (80.6%) had no awareness until the research study commenced. One unaware volunteer participant (1.28%) was detected to be positive to viral hepatitis B infection. The study population which has 21 to 25 years, female (57.1%) and single (86.8%) were most actively involved in sexual activity. They lack substantial knowledge of the risk of being infected with viral hepatitis. The study population also reflected the indiscriminate use of drugs among students. In conclusion, students are involved in risky sexual activity and indiscriminate use of nonprescription drugs that can lead to hepatitis infection and also its spread. Most of the students lack knowledge of hepatitis infection.


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