Martin Weigel1, Kerstin Weitmann1, Christiane Rautmann1, Judith Schmidt1, Roswitha Bruns2, Wolfgang Hoffmann3. 1. 1 Department Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. 2. 2 Department of Paediatrics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. 3. 1 Department Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany wolfgang.hoffmann@uni-greifswald.de.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vaccination rates of children in Germany are unsatisfying and regional endemic outbreaks have been reported. Few studies have analysed physicians' attitude towards vaccination. We investigated whether there is an association between physicians' attitude and vaccination coverage on the regional level for Germany. METHODS: In a representative cross-sectional survey, anonymized questionnaires were sent to random samples of all paediatricians (50%) and general practitioners (10%) in private practice in Germany. Attitude towards vaccination was operationalized in three scores. Measles and pertussis vaccination coverage rates were obtained from the 16 Federal States' Health Departments. Geographic methods and linear regression models were used for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2010 paediatricians (response proportion: 64.1%) and 1712 general practitioners (response proportion 39.1%) were included in the analysis. We found an association of physicians' attitude towards vaccination and vaccination coverage rate (P < 0.0001). There is also an important association between vaccination coverage and the geographic location, with lower coverage rates especially in the States of former Western Germany (compared with our reference State Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; pertussis: maximum -5.86% in Bavaria, P < 0.0001; measles: maximum -20.20% in Berlin, P = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: The regional association between vaccination coverage rates and physicians' attitude towards vaccination seems to be superposed by population-related variables. An increase of vaccination coverage requires better information and training of both, physicians and the general population.
BACKGROUND: Vaccination rates of children in Germany are unsatisfying and regional endemic outbreaks have been reported. Few studies have analysed physicians' attitude towards vaccination. We investigated whether there is an association between physicians' attitude and vaccination coverage on the regional level for Germany. METHODS: In a representative cross-sectional survey, anonymized questionnaires were sent to random samples of all paediatricians (50%) and general practitioners (10%) in private practice in Germany. Attitude towards vaccination was operationalized in three scores. Measles and pertussis vaccination coverage rates were obtained from the 16 Federal States' Health Departments. Geographic methods and linear regression models were used for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2010 paediatricians (response proportion: 64.1%) and 1712 general practitioners (response proportion 39.1%) were included in the analysis. We found an association of physicians' attitude towards vaccination and vaccination coverage rate (P < 0.0001). There is also an important association between vaccination coverage and the geographic location, with lower coverage rates especially in the States of former Western Germany (compared with our reference State Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania; pertussis: maximum -5.86% in Bavaria, P < 0.0001; measles: maximum -20.20% in Berlin, P = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: The regional association between vaccination coverage rates and physicians' attitude towards vaccination seems to be superposed by population-related variables. An increase of vaccination coverage requires better information and training of both, physicians and the general population.
Authors: Layla M Mjrby; Angham A Sahli; Zahra M Alsrori; Fatimah H Kamili; Halimah A Althurwi; Amal A Zalah; Hadeel M Alharbi; Hesham M Alharbi Journal: J Family Med Prim Care Date: 2020-04-30
Authors: Khadijah Abdulrhman Madkor; Eman Hazza Somily; Abdulmlik Abdullah Hassan Najmi; Asim Bishi Mohammed Hakami; Manssour Mohammed Alfaifi; Khaled Muhammed Mashhour; Al-Muhannad Yahya Ali Khabrani; Mohammed Eid Yahya Hamdi Journal: J Family Med Prim Care Date: 2020-03-26