TITLE:
Study of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Students at Kankou Moussa University Regarding Hepatitis B Virus in 2025
AUTHORS:
Oumar Sangho, Abdoul Salam Diarra, Fanta Sangho, Sata Doumbia, Abou Sogodogo, Salia Keita, Housseini Dolo, Cheick Abou Coulibaly, Nouhoum Telly, Borodjan Diarra, Yeya Dit Sadio Saro, Lancina Doumbia, Hamadoun Sangho
KEYWORDS:
Hepatitis B Virus, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, Health Sciences Students, Kankou Moussa University, Mali
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Epidemiology,
Vol.16 No.2,
March
10,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Viral hepatitis B (HBV) is a major public health problem worldwide and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Health sciences students, who are the future actors in the health system, are exposed to a significant risk of infection during their training. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of students at Kankou Moussa University (UKM) regarding hepatitis B virus in 2024-2025. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from January 1 to December 18, 2025, among 425 medical and pharmacy students. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 software. Anonymity and confidentiality were ensured. Results: The mean age of the participants was 21.25 ± 2.64 years, and females accounted for 60.9% of the sample. More than half of the students (50.1%) had good knowledge of HBV; 88.7% demonstrated a favorable attitude toward prevention, and 51.3% adopted good preventive practices. Statistically significant associations were observed between students’ knowledge and level of education (aOR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11 - 0.78), between students’ attitudes and age (aOR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.10 - 0.98) as well as level of education, and between students’ practices and close contact with parents or relatives affected by HBV (aOR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.34 - 0.98). Conclusion: This study reveals that more than half of the students demonstrated good levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices. However, preventive measures against viral hepatitis B among students, particularly screening and vaccination, were low. General biosafety practices did not comply with recommended standards. The level of education significantly influenced both knowledge and attitudes. Therefore, it is necessary to implement an annual HBV screening and vaccination campaign for students, accompanied by information and awareness-raising sessions.