A Cross-Sectional Study On Knowledge, Attitude, And Practice Towards The Hepatitis C Virus Among Surgical Patients From Rural, Semi-Urban, And Urban Areas Of Lucknow

Abstract

Background: Around 6,00,000 individuals worldwide lose their lives to hepatitis C virus infections each year, making it a serious illness and a growing concern to public health. Patients' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors are crucial factors in the fight against this deadly illness. Aim and Objective: To study the  knowledge, attitude, and practice towards the Hepatitis C virus among surgical patients from rural, semi-urban, and urban areas of lucknow. Material and Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was performed from January 2022 to December 2023 in the Department of Microbiology. Sample size of this study was 100. The study was performed in a single hospital. Surgical patients who came out to be positive for HCV infection through screening tests were selected for this study. The questionnaire was created, reviewed, and used to gauge participants' understanding, attitudes, and practices about HCV. Results: The findings showed that patients who lived in rural and suburban regions, had low incomes, were unemployed, and had low educational status performed poorly in terms of their knowledge, attitudes, and practices about HCV. Conclusions: People are more likely to get infected because of the lack of knowledge, which leads to negative attitudes and bad practices. Socioeconomic determinants play a crucial role in the basic knowledge of people. Therefore, to further prevent the spread of infection, a crucial degree of public awareness is required in the district of Lucknow, particularly in rural and suburban areas close to Lucknow.