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Title
Attitudes of Victorian vaccine providers to pertussis vaccine
AuthorMacIntyre CR; Nolan T
AddressNational Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Canberra, ACT.
Source
Med J Aust,
161:
5, 1994 Sep 5,
295-9
AbstractOBJECTIVES: To assess the attitudes of Victorian vaccine providers to the pertussis component
of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (DTP), and to examine differences between kinds of health professionals.
Also, to assess vaccine providers' understanding of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
guidelines on childhood immunisation with DTP. METHODS: We conducted a postal survey of 765 randomly
selected Victorian health professionals involved in childhood vaccination, including medical officers
of health (MOHs), general practitioners (GPs), maternal child health nurses (MCHNs), paediatricians
and environmental health officers (EHOs). RESULTS: Most (83%) knew that the pertussis component was most
frequently responsible for adverse effects of DTP. Thirty-four per cent of all respondents (9% MCHNs,
23% paediatricians, 24% MOHs, 34% EHOs and 39% GPs) believed that pertussis vaccine causes permanent
brain damage, 34% did not, and 32% were unsure; 39% believed it causes encephalopathy. Only 9% described
vaccination practices entirely in accordance with NHMRC guidelines. Up to 58% of respondents would give
diphtheria-tetanus vaccine (DT) in situations when DTP was indicated, and up to 54% would give DTP
when it is clearly contraindicated. There was no correlation between knowledge of the safety of DTP and
vaccination practices. CONCLUSION: Victorian vaccine providers have doubts about the safety of pertussis
vaccine. There is a need to ensure the availability and clarity of immunisation guidelines for health
workers, to educate them about the use of pertussis vaccine, and to ensure that this knowledge is put
into practice.