A survey on community perceptions of jaundice in east Delhi: implications for the prevention and control of viral hepatitis

Abstract 

Using senior health professionals as interviewers, a 30-cluster sampling survey was carried out to investigate community perceptions of pilia (the local word for jaundice) in east Delhi (India). Of 416 persons (mostly mothers of children aged <2 years) interviewed, 339 (81%) were aware of pilia as an illness. Only 322 (77%), 164 (39%), 73 (18%) and 71 (17%) people knew about correct symptoms, dangers, causes and prevention of pilia. Most of the correct responses were related to the faeco-orally transmitted viral hepatitis. Literate respondents were significantly more aware of pilia (χ² 52·81, P < 0·0001), its symptoms (χ² 48·88, P < 0·0001), causes (χ² 39·34, P < 0·0001), dangers (χ² 19·3, P = 0·0007), and prevention (χ² 60·8, P < 0·0001). However, age of the respondents had no significant bearing (P ⩾ 0·05) on the correctness of responses. About 293 (70%) subjects considered pilia as a treatable illness; of them, 193 (66%) and 77 (26%) respectively expressed their preference for the ‘modern’ and indigenous systems of medicine for its treatment. In contrast, 110 (38%) respondents said that they would prefer faith healers for the treatment of pilia. Although only 31 (7%) persons were aware of a vaccine against pilia (hepatitis B vaccine), virtually all agreed to have their children immunized if such a vaccine were made available. The study underscores the usefulness of pilia in lay-reporting of viral hepatitis and epidemiological studies on jaundice-associated illnesses and the need for educating the community about its causes and prevention to increase people's participation in controlling viral hepatitis and other diseases that mainly manifest as jaundice.

Keywords:  jaundice, viral hepatitis, KABP study, hepatitis B vaccine, literacy, India

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