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Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of the presentation participants will be able to understand the specific increases in knowledge that resulted from a hepatitis prevention campaign for injection drug users in three U.S. cities.
Background:
The transmission of hepatitis B and C is closely associated with injection drug use because these diseases spread through inadequate injection hygiene. In order to help craft prevention messages, we sought to determine the level of knowledge about HBV and HCV transmissibility and their associated medical consequences. Using a 15-item instrument, participants' knowledge about hepatitis was assessed at baseline in a longitudinal study of active injection drug users in Chicago, IL, Hartford, CT, and Oakland, CA.
Methods:
Based on preliminary analyses of hepatitis knowledge level and injection practices at baseline, a hepatitis prevention card was developed to address the specific informational needs of the study population. During the spring of 2000, participating syringe exchanges in the three cities distributed the hepatitis prevention cards to every customer who visited the exchange. Approximately 2 -5 weeks post-distribution, participants were contacted and re-administered the hepatitis knowledge test. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate post-intervention changes in knowledge.
Results:
For the 170 participants who completed the hepatitis knowledge test during the post-distribution period, knowledge scores for items that assessed information covered in the prevention card increased significantly (p < .01) whereas knowledge did not increase for items not discussed in the prevention card. Specifically, significant improvements were noted in participants' understanding of the relative risk of HIV versus hepatitis transmission, the difficulty of recognizing hepatitis infection in others, and the potential medical consequences of hepatitis infection.
Conclusions:
Brief, written materials that specifically target the information needs of IDUs can be an effective and economical method of increasing knowledge and awareness about hepatitis prevention among this at-risk population.
See more of Poster Session #2
See more of The 2005 National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference