RVs are a leading cause of viral gastroenteritis among children younger than 5. Researchers can reduce the incidence of RV disease through the widespread use of vaccination, but coverage is low in many countries, including Italy. This fact reflects the inadequate consideration given to the RV vaccine, both by the population and healthcare workers. Peoples’ opinions are strictly dependent on the attitude of doctors and nurses. The aim of this work is the evaluation of healthcare workers’ knowledge, attitudes, and opinions regarding RV vaccination. Researchers compared the results of two surveys; the first was carried out in 2017, the Italian National Immunization Plan introduced the recommendation for the RV vaccine. The second was performed at the end of 2018, approximately one year after adopting a Law that introduced new compulsory vaccinations, not including the RV vaccine. One hundred eighty-two questionnaires were collected, and 111 in 2018. An increase was observed in the percentage of participants who reported the RV vaccine, and a significant increase was found in the coverage the participants claimed to reach. After the introduction of compulsory vaccination, education of healthcare workers may prompt them to offer also recommended vaccines actively.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2020.1776546
