Abstract

MORA GONZALEZ, Salvador R.; INFANTE VELAZQUEZ, Mirta  and  DIAZ DE LA HOZ, Miriam Belkis. Influencia de los determinantes conductuales en la transmisión de la hepatitis aguda por virus A. Rev Cub Med Mil [online]. 2002, vol.31, n.2, pp.75-80. ISSN 0138-6557.

A retrospective case-control study was conducted in an enclosed institution affected by an outbreak of acute hepatitis A to find out the predominant transmission mechanism as well as the causal association between some behavioral determinants present in the target population and epidermal morbidity. The risk assessment of the studied variables was made; the variables were the following: smoking (OR=6,77), poor hand washing (OR=5,98), number of people per dormitory (OR=5,67), contact with heces in dirty places (OR=3,35), length of stay at the institution (OR=3,20), collective use of cutlery (OR=2,31) and physical contact with sick persons (OR=2,0). These variables showed significant association with onset of hepatitis A. The percent attributable fraction in the population estimated the impact of these risks at 50 to 85% of the target population. The nutritional deficiencies by defect (OR=1,68) and the educational level (OR=0,82) did not show causal relationship. In general, the predominant function of the person-to-person transmission and the need of an educational method to change such negative habits and lifestyles as a requirement of the cultural, ethical and professional formation of our population were proved.

Keywords : HEPATITIS A VIRUS, HUMAN; EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS; RISK FACTORS; CASE-CONTROL STUDIES; DISEASE TRANSMISSION.

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