Document Type



Internal Medicine


OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of various sources of information on school going adolescents (belonging to higher social strata between ages 14-19 years) regarding Hepatitis B; its various types, importance, symptoms and cures.METHODS: A self-administered survey was conducted among the secondary school students (9-12 grades) of a private school for this purpose.RESULTS: A total of 160 students were approached from which 158 (98%) agreed to take part in the survey. Overall 98% students claimed to know something about Hepatitis B. But only 52% of all had comprehensive and correct knowledge about symptoms, causes and measures for prevention of Hepatitis B. Their major sources of knowledge were parents (57%) and television (56%) followed by newspapers and books (31%), doctors (30%) teachers and peers (29%).CONCLUSION: Only half of the adolescents had correct knowledge about Hepatitis B, which infers that an average person's level of knowledge would have many misperceptions and myths. Television and parents are the most influential sources of imparting health education to adolescents. Thus it is imperative that these sources of knowledge strengthened to provide correct information to adolescents.


Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association