ISSN : 2714-4917


NIGER DELTA JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & MEDICAL RESEARCH

A Publication Of Nigeria Medical Association Bayelsa State Branch

Home About Us For Authors Issues Useful Downloads Contact Information

FAQ NDJMMR

Questions are asked and these questions need answers. This is the reason why this page is created to enable us share few worries!

×
Archive | ISSUE: 155, Volume: Jul-Sep-2026

HEPATITIS B PREVALENCE AND RESPONSE RATE TO COUNSELING AMONG WOMEN OF CHILD BEARING AGE IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA, NIGERIA: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY


Author:Saliu OA, Alagamba JC, Edogbo B, Adegor EC, Olokoba OE, Idowu OA

published date:2026-Jul-07

FULL TEXT in - | page 96–103

Abstract

Background: Hepatitis B is a chronic infectious disease caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which primarily damages the liver. This study assessed the prevalence and awareness of hepatitis B among women of childbearing age and their responses to counseling in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria.

Methods: The study is a retrospective cross-sectional study of three (3) health facilities (A, B, and C) in the largest area council of the FCT from 2020 to 2022. The study included 859 women of childbearing age (18-49 years), and data regarding socio demographic characteristics, HBV infection prevalence, and counseling sessions were gathered and analyzed by SPSS version 20 using descriptive statistics.

Results: The findings revealed that the prevalence rate of HBV infection among the women from the health facilities over three years (2020-2022) was 11.76%, with the highest prevalence in women aged 18-30 years. Seventy percent (n = 602) of the women across the facilities had formal education, 28% were aware of the disease, and 27% (n=27) of the infected women responded positively to counseling.

Conclusion: The prevalence of hepatitis B among women of childbearing age in the health facilities was high. The high level of formal education among the women did not translate into adequate awareness of HBV or a response to counseling, underscoring the need to promote effective hepatitis B awareness campaigns and introduce strategies that will encourage counseling to mitigate the burden of hepatitis B and help achieve the WHO’s objective of eliminating the virus by 2030.

Keywords: Hepatitis B, prevalence, awareness, counseling, childbearing women

References

1. World Health Organization. Global hepatitis report 2023 [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023 [cited 2026 Jun 28]. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/25501 6/9789241565455-eng.pdf

2. Jose-Abrego A, Roman S, Pinho JRR, Duarte de Castro VF, Panduro A. Hepatitis B virus genotype mixtures, viral load and liver damage in HBV patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Front Microbiol. 2021;12:640889. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.640889.

3. Pandey S, Lohani P, Roy R, Bhar D, Ranjan A, Kumar P, et al. Prevalence and knowledge of hepatitis B infection in pregnant women in a primary health center of Patna district, Bihar. J Family Med Prim Care. 2021;10(10):3675-81. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_731_21.

4. Kramvis A. Genotypes and genetic variability of hepatitis B virus. Intervirology. 2014;57(3-4):141-50. doi:10.1159/000360947.

5. Kramvis A. Molecular characteristics and clinical relevance of African genotypes and subgenotypes of hepatitis B virus. S Afr Med J. 2018;108(8b):17-21. doi:10.7196/SAMJ.2018.v108i8b.13495.

6. Kramvis A, Kew MC. Epidemiology of hepatitis B virus in Africa, its genotypes and clinical associations of genotypes. Hepatol Res. 2007;37 Suppl 1:S9-19. doi:10.1111/j.1872-034X.2007.00098.x.

7. Ingasia LAO, Kostaki EG, Paraskevis D, Kramvis A. Global and regional dispersal patterns of hepatitis B virus genotype E from and in Africa: a full-genome molecular analysis. PLoS One. 2020;15(10):e0240375. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0240375.

8. Egbe KA, Ike A, Egbe F. Knowledge and burden of hepatitis B virus in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Sci Afr. 2023;19:e01938. doi:10.1016/j.sciaf.2023.e01938.

9. Ajuwon BI, Yujuico K, Roper K, Richardson A, Sheel M, Lidbury B. Hepatitis B virus infection in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis of data published between 2010 and 2019. BMC Infect Dis. 2021;21:1120. doi:10.1186/s12879-021-06800-6.

10. Magaji FA, Mark O, Okolo ES, Yiltok WG, Stephen AA, Jerry O, et al. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant women with and without HIV in Jos, Nigeria. Int J Infect Dis. 2021;104:276-81. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.12.058.

11. Freeland C, Farrell S, Kumar P, Kamischke M, Jackson M, Bodor S, et al. Common concerns, barriers to care, and the lived experience of individuals with hepatitis B: a qualitative study. BMC Public Health. 2021;21:1004. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11093-0.

12. Adeyemi AB, Enabor OO, Ugwu IA, Abraham OA, Bello F. Prevalence of antenatal hepatitis B infection in tertiary and non-tertiary health facilities in Ibadan, Nigeria. Niger J Med. 2019;28:248-53.

13. Eyong EM, Yankam BM, Seraphine E, Ngwa CH, Nkfusai NC, Anye CS, et al. The prevalence of HBsAg, knowledge and practice of hepatitis B prevention among pregnant women in Limbe and Muyuka Health Districts of the South West Region of Cameroon: a three-year retrospective study. Pan Afr Med J. 2019;32:122. doi:10.11604/pamj.2019.32.122.16055.

14. Hou J, Liu Z, Gu F. Epidemiology and prevention of hepatitis B virus infection. Int J Med Sci. 2005;2:50-7. doi:10.7150/ijms.2.50.

15. Okonko IO, Udo OL, Cookey TI, Adim CC. Prevalence of hepatitis B virus among women of child-bearing age in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Asian J Immunol. 2020;3(1):311-17.

16. Aganga-Williams OM, Akanmu AS, Akinsete I, Njoku OS. Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among women of childbearing age in Lagos, Nigeria. Afr J Reprod Health. 1999;3(1):45-50.

17. Idris A, Isah AY, Ekele BA, Onafowokan O, Thairu Y. Hepatitis B virus vertical transmission in booked pregnant women in Abuja, Nigeria. Niger Postgrad Med J. 2016;5:11-14.

18. Nongo BH, Agida TE, Oghenebuk U, Yunusa T. Seroprevalence of hepatitis B virus among antenatal attendees at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Ann Niger Med. 2016;10:58-62. doi:10.4103/0331-3131.206213.

19. Lin F, Hao S, Xiao X, Li X. Association between hepatitis B virus infection and COVID-19: outcomes from clinical analysis and online survey from Beijing, China. BMC Infect Dis. 2024;24:1438. doi:10.1186/s12879-024-10333-z. 20. Atilola G, Tomisin O, Randle M, Isaac KO, Odutolu G, Olomu J, et al. Epidemiology of HBV in pregnant women, South West Nigeria. J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2018;8(3-4):115-23. doi:10.2991/j.jegh.2018.09.002.

21. Facciolà F, Logana A, Genovese G, Romeo B, Sidoti S, D’Andrea G, et al. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on infectious disease epidemiology. J Prev Med Hyg. 2023;64(3):E274-E282. doi:10.15167/2421 4248/jpmh2023.64.3.2904.

22. Akerele IO, Nnabuch CV, Oreh AC. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and acute nonicteric hepatitis: a case report from Asokoro, Nigeria. J Family Community Med. 2021;28(1):59-62. doi:10.4103/jfcm.JFCM_410_20.

23. Stockdale AJ, Geretti AM. Chronic hepatitis B infection in sub-Saharan Africa: a grave challenge and a great hope. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2015;109:421-2. doi:10.1093/trstmh/trv044.

24. Wiktor S, Hutin Y. The global burden of viral hepatitis: better estimates to guide hepatitis elimination efforts [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016 [cited 2025 Mar 17]. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/commentaries/better estimates-hepatitis/en/

25. Ojide CK, Kalu EI, Ogbaini-Emevon E, Nwadike VU. Coinfections of hepatitis B and C with HIV among adult patients attending HIV out-patients clinic in Benin City, Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract. 2015;18:516-21. doi:10.4103/1119-3077.151790.

26. Oladeinde BH, Omoregie R, Oladeinde OB. Prevalence of HIV, HBV, and HCV infections among pregnant women receiving antenatal care in a traditional birth home in Benin City, Nigeria. Saudi J Health Sci. 2013;2:113-17. doi:10.4103/2278-0521.117916.

27. Ophori EA, Tula MY, Azih AV, Okojie R, Ikpo PE. Current trends of immunization in Nigeria: prospect and challenges. Trop Med Health. 2014;42:67-75. doi:10.2149/tmh.2013-13.

28. Frambo AAB, Atashili J, Fon PN. Prevalence of HBsAg and knowledge about hepatitis B in pregnancy in the Buea Health District, Cameroon: a cross sectional study. BMC Res Notes. 2014;7:394.

29. Abongwa LE, Clara AM, Edouard NA, Ngum NH. Sero-prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus co-infection among pregnant women residing in Bamenda Health District, Cameroon. Int J Curr Microbiol Appl Sci. 2015;4(12):473-83.

30. Andersson MI, Rajbhandari R, Kew MC, Vento S, Preiser W, Hoepelman AI, et al. Mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus in sub-Saharan Africa: time to act. Lancet Glob Health. 2015;3:e358-9. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(15)00056-0.

31. Hyun CS, Ko O, Lee S, McMenamin J. Long-term outcome of a community-based hepatitis B awareness campaign: eight-year follow-up on linkage to care in HBV-infected individuals. BMC Infect Dis. 2019;19:638. doi:10.1186/s12879-019-4283-x

FULL TEXT in - | page 96–103

Issue Archive

Volume 2026

Issue 3-Jul-Sep
Issue 2-Apr-Jun
Issue 1-Jan-Mar

Volume 2025

Issue 3-Jul-Sep
Issue 2-Apr-Jun
Issue 1-Jan-Mar

Volume 2024

Issue 3-Jul-Sep
Issue 2-Apr-Jun
Issue 1-Jan-Mar

Volume 2023

Issue 1-Jan-Mar

Volume 2020

Issue 1-Jan-Mar

Volume 2013

Issue 4-Oct-Dec

Copyright © Niger Delta Journal Of Medicine & Medical Research | A Publication Of Nigeria Medical Association Bayelsa State Branch.
All Rights Reserved. P.M.B. 126, Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa. Bayelsa state Nigeria