Online survey: knowledge about risks, prevention and consequences of infections with HBV among travellers from four European countries

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate knowledge about risks, prevention and consequences of infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) among travellers from four low HBV risk, European countries.

Methods:

Individuals from an internet panel and based in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden were invited to take part in an online survey. A total of 4203 respondents met the inclusion criteria and completed the survey.

Results:

The majority (62.3%) of respondents did not know the main travel destinations with moderate or high prevalence for HBV. Also, 20.1% were somewhat or very unaware of the ways in which HBV can be caught and travellers aged 18-35 years were significantly more likely (p < 0.01) to have participated in at least one risky activity abroad. Three-quarters (74.9%) thought they were somewhat or very aware of the health implications of contracting HBV, but only 11.8% of participants selected more than three out of the six correct answers relating to conditions caused by HBV. Only 39.3% of those who knew their vaccination status had received vaccination against HBV within the previous 5 years, although some patients may have been vaccinated prior to this period.

Conclusions:

As country-specific variables were not analysed in this study, the results do not allow interpretation by country. A high proportion of the respondents were at an elevated risk of HBV infection while visiting moderate or high prevalence countries. They were unlikely to be immunised or take appropriate precautions; participation in risk activities abroad was high, and knowledge of HBV was limited. These findings indicate there is a need for healthcare professionals and the travel industry to educate travellers on the risks of HBV infections while abroad and the importance of preventing infection through vaccination.

Key words::

• Hepatitis B
• Knowledge
• Risk perception
• Survey
• Travellers

Transparency

Declaration of funding

GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals was the funding source and was involved in all stages of the survey conduct and analysis. GSK Biologicals also funded all costs associated with the development and the publishing of the present manuscript.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

R.P. and H.C.N. have disclosed that they received honoraria and travel grants from GSK Biologicals. K.H.H., R.P. and H.C.N. have disclosed that they were compensated for their work in connection to the survey and the corresponding publication on risks, prevention and consequences of infections with hepatitis B virus among travellers from four European countries, including analysis of the survey results and contributing and editing the manuscript.

R.P. and H.D.N. conceived the study and participated in its design and coordination; they also drafted the manuscript. K.H.H. performed the statistical analysis and drafted the manuscript and the tables. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

Acknowledgements

This survey was conducted by Opinion Matters. The authors thank Virgo Health who provided medical writing services on behalf of GSK Biologicals (Wavre, Belgium). The authors also thank Donatella Latocca and Angela Crossman for their support in the initiation of the project; Luise Kalbe, Michael Zaiac, Pavel Popely and Gudrun Maechler for reviewing of this manuscript; and Sophie Cloquet for editing and reviewing the manuscript. (All from GSK Biologicals, Wavre, Belgium).

Data in this paper were previously presented as a poster at the 3rd Northern European Conference on Travel Medicine Congress, Hamburg, Germany, May 26–29, 2010.