Knowledge, attitudes and practices of nurses and doctors about the vertical transmission of hepatitis B

OBJECTIVE: to identify knowledge, attitudes and practices of physicians and nurses of the Family Health Strategy and a maternity hospital unit about vertical transmission of hepatitis B. METHOD: a cross-sectional study with a self-administered questionnaire applied to professionals. The data were analyzed according to professional category and site of action, whose differences were tested by χ2 and significance <5%. RESULTS: professionals recognize viral hepatitis as a disease of compulsory notification; however, not everyone knows its mechanisms of transmission. A large portion of professionals requested serological tests, specifying the marker, especially physicians. The majority of family health nurses did not indicate hepatitis B vaccine for pregnant women, although they knew the immunization schedule. The majority of physicians on the maternity unit had proper knowledge about prevention of vertical transmission. CONCLUSION: the differences in the knowledge, attitudes and practices about vertical transmission of hepatitis B revealed that the population is at risk, since not all the professionals involved know or properly perform control strategies for vertical transmission of hepatitis B. Nurses dominated vaccination aspects and physicians dominated aspects related to the management of cases with positive serology

Knowledge, attitude and practice of condom use by women of an impoverished urban area

OBJECTIVE Assessing the adequacy of knowledge, attitude and practice of women regarding male and female condoms as STI/HIV preventive measures. METHOD An evaluative Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) household survey with a quantitative approach, involving 300 women. Data collection took place between June and August 2013, in an informal urban settlement within the municipality of João Pessoa, Paraiba, Northeast Brazil. RESULTS Regarding the male condom, most women showed inadequate knowledge and practice, and an adequate attitude. Regarding the female condom, knowledge, attitude and practice variables were unsatisfactory. Significant associations between knowledge/religious orientation and attitude/education regarding the male condom were observed. CONCLUSION A multidisciplinary team should be committed to the development of educational practices as care promotion tools in order to improve adherence of condom use