Prevalence of Hepatitis B & Hepatitis C Virus Infections in Potential Blood Donors in Bahawalpur

Abstract Hepatitis is commonly transmitted during blood transfusion. The study aimed to find the prevalence of hepatitis B & C among blood donors in Bahawalpur and try to find relation of prevalence with socio-demographic variables. The study was conducted in Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur (BVH). The data was collected by trained nurses working in blood bank in supervision of investigator through a structured record review check list developed by investigator in English. The investigator checked data for completeness and cross check from registers. The collected data had been coded before analysis. Descriptive analysis was done to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B & C virus in the study population and its distribution categorized by independent variables i.e. age, gender, marital status, residence and education status of blood donor. The results of study indicated that both Hepatitis B & C are prevalent among 20 – 23 years old persons, males, uneducated people, married and people residing in rural areas of Bahawalpur visiting blood bank of Bahwal Victoria Hospital (BVH) Bahawalpur. So, by providing education to uneducated population and teaching sanitation and careful measures for avoiding hepatitis to married and people residing in rural areas could be a helpful tool in decreasing and controlling hepatitis in this area.