Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 83 | Published: 11 Oct 2026
Margaret Inemesit Akpan1, Mabel Joshua Thompson1, Henrietta Chinemerem Ashang2, Inemesit Asuquo Akpan3, Abasiofon Inemesit Akpan4,&
1Department of Public health, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria, 2College of Health Technology, Calabar, Nigeria, 3Department of Animal Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria, 4Department of Sociology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
&Corresponding author: Akpan, Abasiofon Inemeit, Department of Sociology, University of Calabar, Nigeria, Email: akpanabasiofon@gmail.com, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6738-1402
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 11 Oct 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Prevalence, risk factors, HPV
©Margaret Inemesit Akpan et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Margaret Inemesit Akpan et al., Prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis among adults in Calabar Municipal, Cross River State, Nigeria. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):83.https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0083
The findings revealed a high HBV prevalence of 22.8%, exceeding the WHO high-endemicity threshold (8%). Socio-demographic factors showed no statistically significant association with HBV prevalence, suggesting behavioral and awareness-related factors were critical determinants. Unsafe sexual practices were strongly associated with HBV infection (χ² = 53.669, p < 0.001), highlighting sexual transmission as a dominant route. Conversely, injection drug use and blood transfusion history were not statistically significant, potentially reflecting improved medical practices. Awareness was moderate: 58.6% indicated some knowledge, yet only 38.7% had been vaccinated. Safe injection practices were significantly associated with lower infection rates (χ² = 16.260, p < 0.001). Gaps in vaccine uptake and low screening rates (28.6%) underscored the need for increased access and education. Awareness of screening and vaccination services was also significantly linked to HBV prevalence (χ² = 4.102, p = 0.043), reinforcing the importance of public health campaigns.
The study concludes that HBV infection remains a public health crisis in Calabar Municipal, driven primarily by unsafe sexual practices and limited preventive healthcare utilization. Recommendations include intensifying culturally tailored awareness campaigns, promoting safe sexual practices, strengthening vaccination coverage, integrating free or subsidized screening into routine care, and advocating for government investment in HBV prevention programs. This research contributes to Nigerian HBV epidemiology by highlighting dominant risk factors and providing actionable data to inform public health policies for urban populations in endemic regions.
Menu