Abstract

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE LEVELS OF PAEDIATRICIANS ON THE HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE VACCINE

*Dr. Kemal Pi?mi?o?lu, Dr. Ahmet Do?an Doç. Dr. Vefik Arica and Dr. Rohat Öztepeli

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude levels of paediatricians on the Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine. Materials and Methods: paediatricians working in Istanbul province were subjected to a survey in person between August 2015 and November 2015 in order to evaluate the correlation between the knowledge and attitude levels of paediatricians on Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine and socio-demographic characteristics of paediatricians. 99 paediatricians working in 15 different Paediatric Clinics participated in this study. Findings: When we examine the knowledge level of paediatricians, who participated in the study, on Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine, we observed that 35.6% of them had low level of knowledge, 51% of them had moderate level of knowledge and 13.5% of them had high level of knowledge on the Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine. Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine knowledge-level scores of paediatricians with children were significantly higher than paediatricians with no children. Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine knowledge-level scores of specialists were significantly higher than assistant physicians. It was significant that physicians with children suffering from chronic diseases had lower Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine knowledge-level scores than those with no diseases. Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine knowledge-level scores of married paediatricians were significantly higher than that of single/divorced paediatricians. A positive, statistically significant correlation was observed between the physicians' age and their knowledge level of the Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine. Result: Our study has identified that paediatricians do not have sufficient amount of information on the Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine, and that awareness levels of physicians need to be increased through specialist and post-specialist training.

Keywords: Knowledge level, Haemophilus Influenzae vaccine, paediatricians.