Prevalence, associated factors, and prevention practices of hepatitis B and C infections in Northern Ethiopia

Introduction : Hepatitis is a major health problem worldwide, which can lead to the development of extensive liver scarring (cirrhosis), liver failure, liver cancer, and death. Hepatitis B and C viruses infect 350 million and 170 million individuals worldwide, respectively. Objective The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence, associated factors, and prevention practices of hepatitis B and C infections in the North Gondar Zone. Method A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted from February to June 2023 at Debark General Hospital and Janamora Primary Hospital to assess the prevalence, associated factors, and level of prevention practice of the hepatitis B and C virus. Data was collected using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire and a blood test. Chi-square and logistic regression were used to evaluate the possible association between dependent and independent variables. Result The overall prevalence of hepatitis was 7%, and the prevalence of hepatitis B and C was 4.18% and 2.87%, respectively. The result of multivariate analysis revealed that age (AOR = 0.41 [0.12–1.4]), residence (AOR = 3.77, 95% CI = 1.6–8.8), blood transfusion (AOR: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.02–0.86), and history of multiple sexual partners (AOR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.04–0.79) were found to be statistically significantly associated with the prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infection among patients. Conclusion A significant number of patients participating in the study were infected by the hepatitis B and C virus which needs efficient intervention to reduce the infection rate. Therefore, immediate intervention strategies should be designed and implemented to overcome this disease.