Attitudes of physicians concerning vaccines not included in the national immunization schedule

Özet

The aim of this study was to identify attitudes of family physicians andpediatricians working in sub-provinces of central Ankara concerning rotavirus(RV), human papilloma virus (HPV), meningococcal conjugate vaccine(MenACWY-MCV4) and adolescent and adult pertussis (Tdap) vaccines whichare not included in the National Immunization Schedule (NIS). Questionnaireswere conducted with 300 family physicians and 230 pediatricians who wereselected by random sampling. RV vaccine is the most commonly recommendedvaccine by physicians (60.5%). It is the vaccine they want to be added to theNIS the most (48.5%). Tdap vaccine is the least recommended vaccine (24.1%)and the least preferred for inclusion in the NIS (19.6%). Of the physiciansrecommending the RV vaccine 94.0% believe that “RV-related diarrhea casesexhibit a severe course of illness in children younger than two years old.”Pediatricians recommend RV, meningoccocal and Tdap vaccines more thanfamily physicians (p<0.05). Of the physicians who do not recommend RV,HPV, and conjugated meningococcal vaccine 87.5%, 96.7% and 27.6% foundthe vaccines expenive, respectively.Of the physicians who do not recommend Tdap vaccine 90.4% think that“Tdap vaccination is not a health problem of priority for their country.”In conclusion physicians are recommending vaccines which are not includedin the NIS. Their common concern for not recommending these vaccines isexpensive price.