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Paediatricians knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding immunizations for infants in Italy
Daniela Anastasi1, Gabriella Di Giuseppe, Paolo Marinelli
1Department of Public, Clinical and Preventive Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, (Italy). d.anastasi@unicas.it
BMC Public Health
|December 17, 2009
Summary
Paediatricians in Italy show gaps in knowledge and attitudes towards infant vaccinations. Educational interventions are crucial to improve vaccination practices and parental counseling for better child health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Immunization Practices
Background:
- Vaccination is critical for infant health.
- Assessing healthcare provider knowledge is essential for effective immunization programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate paediatricians' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours concerning infant vaccinations in Italy.
Main Methods:
- Anonymous questionnaire distributed to 500 randomly selected paediatricians.
- Assessed demographic/professional data, vaccination knowledge, attitudes, and reported behaviours.
- Included questions on parental immunization education.
Main Results:
- Only 42.3% of paediatricians demonstrated complete knowledge of recommended infant vaccinations.
- A mere 10.3% held a very favourable attitude towards recommended infant vaccinations.
- 82.7% routinely informed parents, with behaviour linked to age, experience, and administration of vaccines.
Conclusions:
- Significant deficiencies in paediatrician knowledge and attitudes regarding infant vaccinations were identified.
- Targeted training and educational initiatives are necessary to enhance paediatrician performance.
- Improving paediatrician expertise can lead to better vaccination uptake and child health.
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