Hepatitis needs assessment among Jordanian healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND Hepatitis infections caused by hepatitis A, B and C virus are considered to be an important health problem worldwide. Based on the available data from the Jordanian Ministry of Health, the incidence rates of hepatitis A and B in the Jordanian population in 2003 were 10.2 and 0.8 per 100,000 per year, respectively; however, data on the incidence of hepatitis C are not currently available. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE To assess Jordanian healthcare workers' hepatitis training needs. METHODS A total of 339 healthcare workers from private and public Jordanian healthcare settings participated in this descriptive study. The Minnesota Primary Care Practitioners Viral Hepatitis Survey was utilized for data collection. RESULTS Two-thirds of the participants expressed that they did not have adequate and current training in issues related to hepatitis infections. Healthcare workers indicated an interest in receiving information and training about hepatitis A, B and C (83%, 71% and 80%, respectively). CONCLUSION The results of this study showed that the majority of Jordanian healthcare workers reported a need for hepatitis training. IMPLICATION TO PRACTICE: Standardized training should be provided to healthcare workers who are working in high-risk settings.