Assessment of Knowledge and vaccination status towards Hepatitis B Virus among health care workers in private clinics of Addis ketema sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Abstract Background: Hepatitis B Virus is a DNA virus of the hepadnaviridae family of viruses. It replicates within infected liver cells (hepatocytes) and may cause acute and chronic hepatitis.The hepatitis B vaccine is the mainstay of hepatitis B prevention. Since 1982, safe and effective hepatitis B virus vaccines have been commercially available. the aim of this study was to assess knowledge towards Hepatitis B Virus among health care workers in relation to their vaccination status in private clinics of Addis ketema sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods(design): A cross-sectional studywas conducted and multi-stage sampling technique was used and in total 231 healthcareworkers were enrolled in the study, which was conducted in private clinics of Addisketema sub-city. self-administered questionnaires were distributed to the health care workers. The collected data was entered intoEpi-data and analyzed using SPSS 25. Results: Two hundred thirty one healthcare workers completed and returned the questionnaires giving an overall response rate of 97%.Only 66 (28.6%) respondents reported that they received one or more doses of Hepatitis B vaccine. From these, 43 (65.2%) received three doses which was only 18.6% of the total Workers.participants with poor and moderate knowledge had equal proportion 92(39.8%) ,while only 47 (20.3%) were found to have high-level of knowledge .Having high-level of knowledge was not a statistically significant predictor of vaccination uptake. Conclusions: Hepatitis B Virus vaccination coverage and knowledge were poor among health care workers. Therefore: educational intervention and provision of vaccinationis recommended for these vulnerable workers of Addis-ketema sub city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.