Knowledge and Attitude of Family Physicians Regarding Adult Vaccination

Zeynep Baykan, Melis Naçar, Serap Bor Özdemir, Serpil Poyrazoğlu, Fevziye Çetinkaya

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DOI: 10.4236/wjv.2011.13009                

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish the knowledge and attitude of family physcians offering primary health care, towards adult vaccination and their own vaccination coverage. Methods: This descriptive study was performed in May 2009 in Kayseri, Turkey. 282 family physician accepted to fill a questionnaire about adult vaccination. Results: Most of the family physcians (83.0%) thought adult vaccination as a modality of protection and 66.7% wanted a vaccination scheme just like the one in childhood. Their own vaccination rate for Hepatitis B was 67.0% and 58.5% for influenza at any time. Only half of the physcians were vaccinated within the season for influenza. Only 9.2% of the doctors have stated that they ask questions to their patients about their vaccination status. When physcians were questioned about the vaccines they advise to their patients aged 65 and more; 70.6% stated influenza and 39.7% stated pneumococcus. Conclusion: In spite of being in the risk group, family physicians have low vaccination coverage rates. Suggestion of the necessary vaccines to the risk groups or to their patients at risk is low as well.

Keywords

Adult Vaccination, Health Personnel, Family Physician, Attitude, Knowledge

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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