Investigating factors related to hepatitis b prevention behavior in high school girls using health belief model

Prevention of hepatitis B is very important in young women, because disease is transmitted from mother to infant. The aim of this study was to determine the factors related to hepatitis B prevention behaviors in high school girls in Borujerd in the academic year 2014–2015.

This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was accomplished in 5 high school students in Borujerd. A total of 680 first and second-grade students agreed to participate in the study, clustered to study and none of them was excluded from study. Data were collected using a questionnaire including perceived severity factors (15 options), perceived sensitivity (8 options), perceived barriers and benefits (7 options), behavioral intention (10 options), self-efficacy (2 options).

The mean age of the students was 15.75 ± 0.78. Only 1.6% of the students received three times hepatitis B vaccine, and more than a quarter (27.8%) had never used personal items when they came to the barber shop. Perceived barrier factors (p = 0.003), perceived sensitivity (p = 0.029), and self-efficacy (p = 0.003) are related to the hepatitis B prevention behavior. Perceived barriers (3.76 ± 0.60) and self-efficacy (2.13 ± 0.87) have the lowest score.

Considering the low prevalence of hepatitis B and prevention behavior with perceived barrier factors, sensitivity of perception and self-efficacy, in order to improve this situation, girls should be aware of the real barriers to preventing disease. Through appropriate methods, they provided a background for understanding the sensitivity to disease as well as improving their self-efficacy.