Prevalence of HBsAG among Attendees of ARFH Centre in Ibadan, Southwestern Nigeria

In a cross-sectional study, 200 subjects attending the Association for Reproductive Family and Health (AFRH) Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria were screened randomly to determine the prevalence of HbsAg among them, using conventional methods. The study showed that the prevalence of HBsAg was 7.0% (n=14). The seroprevalence of HBsAg was higher in males [5(10.2%)] than in their female counterparts [9(5.9%)]. The age specific distribution of HBsAg among subjects in the study showed that those in the age group of 16-29 years had a higher prevalence rate of 7(7.1%) compared to those in age group 30 years and above which had a lower prevalence rate of 7(6.9%). HBsAg seropositivity was higher among the singles 7(11.9%) than the married 7(4.9%). Risk factors associated with significant (P<0.05) HBsAg seropositivity were sex and marital status. There was no significant association (P>0.05) between age groups and HBsAg seropositivity. The importance of routine HBsAg screening in sexually active subjects especially among the young and singles is advocated. It is recommended that routine screening for HBsAg should be incorporated into hospital care.