The knowledge and attitudes towards hepatitis B among paramedic students

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes towards hepatitis B among paramedic students. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 395 paramedic students in Daejeon and Chungnam from May 10 to June 10, 2016. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of the subjects (9 items), knowledge of hepatitis B (20 items), and attitudes towards hepatitis B (7 items). Data were analyzed by t test, ANOVA, post hoc Duncan test, and Pearson's correlation analysis using SPSS v. 23.0. Results: The knowledge of hepatitis B was 10.52( ±5.18 ) out of 20 points and was significantly correlated with grade, vaccination, or antibody-positive irerspective of education. The positive attitude toward hepatitis B was 3.15( ±.43 ) and there was a significant correlation with family history irrespective of education. There was a statistically positive correlation between the knowledge and attitudes towards hepatitis B (r=.104, p=.039). Conclusion: Precise knowledge delivery and full understanding of hepatitis B should be incorporated into the education of paramedic students. Active infection control by emergency medical technicians should be maintained by hepatitis B prevention practices.