Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection and Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA
Published on: December 15, 2023
Low levels of knowledge and preventive practices regarding vertical hepatitis B transmission among perinatal nurses
Stephanie D Chao1, Chrissy M Cheung, Elizabeth J Yang
1Department of Surgery, Stanford Hospital and Clinics, Stanford, CA, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate current levels of hepatitis-B-related knowledge and clinical practice among perinatal nurses.
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Santa Clara County, California, home to one of the largest U.S. populations at risk of perinatal hepatitis B transmission.
Participants:
Perinatal nurses (N = 518) from eight birthing hospitals.
Methods:
In 2008-2010, nurses completed a baseline survey evaluating existing hepatitis-B-related knowledge and preventive clinical practices, participated in an educational seminar, received instructional materials about hepatitis B, and completed a follow-up knowledge survey.
Results:
Eighty percent of perinatal nurses had provided health care to a pregnant woman with chronic hepatitis B, but only 51% routinely provided patients with educational information about hepatitis B. While 75% routinely informed patients about effective methods to prevent mother-to-child transmission, only a small minority (17-34%) educated infected women about standard recommendations for protecting themselves and household members. One fourth or fewer nurses correctly answered most questions about hepatitis B prevalence, risks, and symptoms. After the educational seminar, knowledge increased statistically significantly.
Conclusion:
Existing knowledge about hepatitis B is limited, and nationally recommended preventive clinical practices are commonly overlooked by perinatal nurses. This lack of knowledge and preventive care represents a noteworthy gap and an opportunity for targeted training and education to improve perinatal hepatitis B prevention and medical management of infected mothers.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:26Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
01:28Viral Hepatitis I: Introduction
01:25Hepatitis
01:17Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...