TY - JOUR
T1 - Health-Seeking Behavior of Persons with Chronic Hepatitis B in Peri-Urban Ghana
T2 - Application of the Health Belief Model
AU - Adjei, Charles Ampong
AU - Ampem, Kwaku Darko
AU - Dzansi, Gladys
AU - Tenkorang-Twum, David
AU - Klutse, Kokui Dziedzom
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024/4/1
Y1 - 2024/4/1
N2 - Sub-Saharan African countries, including Ghana, are disproportionately affected by hepatitis B. In Ghana, the burden of hepatitis B is unevenly distributed, with the Brong Ahafo region having the highest prevalence (13.7%). Given that people with hepatitis B (PWHB) in Ghana have previously been found to have a lack of understanding of the impact of the infection, we sought to explore their health-seeking behaviour using the health belief model as an organising framework. A qualitative exploratory design was used. In total, 18 people were purposively selected for face-to-face interviews. The data was processed and analysed using QSR NVivo version 11.0 and the Braun and Clarke thematic analysis procedure. The belief that hepatitis B can cause liver cancer and death was the most important determinant of health seeking. Furthermore, access to accurate hepatitis B information, particularly information about availability of effective hepatitis B treatment, influenced a number of participants to seek formal care. However, the high cost of clinical monitoring and treatment to use herbal medicine, despite their concerns about the effectiveness of herbal medicines in managing hepatitis B. Given that hepatitis B information was a factor in health seeking, it is recommended that a hepatitis B awareness campaign focusing on the availability of hepatitis B treatment and where it can be obtained be carried out in the study area. Counselling PWHB at the point of diagnosis should highlight the relevance of life-long clinical monitoring. To remove financial barriers to hepatitis B care in Ghana, the government should include the cost of hepatitis B laboratory investigations and treatment in the health insurance scheme.
AB - Sub-Saharan African countries, including Ghana, are disproportionately affected by hepatitis B. In Ghana, the burden of hepatitis B is unevenly distributed, with the Brong Ahafo region having the highest prevalence (13.7%). Given that people with hepatitis B (PWHB) in Ghana have previously been found to have a lack of understanding of the impact of the infection, we sought to explore their health-seeking behaviour using the health belief model as an organising framework. A qualitative exploratory design was used. In total, 18 people were purposively selected for face-to-face interviews. The data was processed and analysed using QSR NVivo version 11.0 and the Braun and Clarke thematic analysis procedure. The belief that hepatitis B can cause liver cancer and death was the most important determinant of health seeking. Furthermore, access to accurate hepatitis B information, particularly information about availability of effective hepatitis B treatment, influenced a number of participants to seek formal care. However, the high cost of clinical monitoring and treatment to use herbal medicine, despite their concerns about the effectiveness of herbal medicines in managing hepatitis B. Given that hepatitis B information was a factor in health seeking, it is recommended that a hepatitis B awareness campaign focusing on the availability of hepatitis B treatment and where it can be obtained be carried out in the study area. Counselling PWHB at the point of diagnosis should highlight the relevance of life-long clinical monitoring. To remove financial barriers to hepatitis B care in Ghana, the government should include the cost of hepatitis B laboratory investigations and treatment in the health insurance scheme.
KW - Ghana
KW - health belief model
KW - health seeking behaviour
KW - hepatitis B
KW - qualitative study
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85195151864&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/21582440241254167
DO - 10.1177/21582440241254167
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85195151864
SN - 2158-2440
VL - 14
JO - SAGE Open
JF - SAGE Open
IS - 2
ER -