Influence of Education, Wealth Index and Electronic Media on Hepatitis B and C awareness: Pakistan Demographic And Health Survey 2012-13

Abstract

Objective: To assess hepatitis B and C awareness in the country, and special focus was to find
influence of wealth index, education and electronic media on knowledge and awareness of
hepatitis B and C and spread among men and women.
Results: Showed that with increase in education level and wealth, awareness about hepatitis B
and C increased among men and women. Electronic media had an impact on hepatitis B and C
awareness. Men and women who did not listen to radio and watch TV at all had lower hepatitis B
and C awareness than those who watched TV and listened to radio. Men and women who
watched TV daily had more awareness about hepatitis B and C than those who watched TV
occasionally. There was more statistical significance of frequency of watching TV and education
levels than frequency of listening to radio and wealth index.
Methods: For this study data was obtained from countrywide Pakistan Demographic and Health
Survey (PDHS) 2012-2013. From selected 12,943 households, 3,134 men and 13,558 women of
15 to 49 years of age were interviewed. The information on hepatitis B and C awareness was
analysed with health index, education and electronic media exposure. SPSS Multinomial Logistic
Regression Model was used for statistical significance and relationship and p-value of 0.05 was
regarded statistically significant.
Conclusions: Education, wealth index and electronic media have influence on hepatitis B and C
awareness among men and women. Radio and TV can play an important role in creating
awareness, in minimum time, about hepatitis B and C, spread and prevention which will pave the
way to eliminate hepatitis by 2030 from the country.