Effectiveness of General Practitioners’ Involvement in Adult Vaccination Practices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of International Evidence
Background: General practitioners (GPs) and primary care units collaborate with Prevention Departments (PDs) to improve immunization by participating in vaccination campaigns, sharing tools, and implementing educational programs to raise patient awareness. This review aimed to identify effective str...
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/12/1438 |
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| author | Andrea Ceccarelli Gabriele Munafò Francesco Sintoni Christian Cintori Davide Gori Marco Montalti |
| author_facet | Andrea Ceccarelli Gabriele Munafò Francesco Sintoni Christian Cintori Davide Gori Marco Montalti |
| author_sort | Andrea Ceccarelli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: General practitioners (GPs) and primary care units collaborate with Prevention Departments (PDs) to improve immunization by participating in vaccination campaigns, sharing tools, and implementing educational programs to raise patient awareness. This review aimed to identify effective strategies for involving GPs in PD vaccination practices. Methods: A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted on MEDLINE, TripDatabase, ClinicalTrials, CINAHL, and Cochrane up to January 2024 to identify full-text studies in English evaluating the effectiveness of GP involvement. A meta-analysis was also performed. Results: Of 1018 records, 15 studies were included, with an intermediate quality assessment. Studies originated from the United States (<i>n</i> = 9), Europe (5), Singapore (1), and China (1). Eight studies investigated educational programs for GPs, while seven focused on organizational or technological interventions to enhance immunization practices. Twelve studies reported increased vaccine uptake after intervention. Vaccines addressed included influenza, SARS-CoV-2, pneumococcal, zoster, and trivalent (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis). Interventions involving GPs in PD vaccination campaigns, focusing on organizational or technological strategies, demonstrated a significant increase in vaccine uptake (OR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.03–1.27; <i>p</i> < 0.0001; I<sup>2</sup> = 96%). Conclusions: GPs emerged as valuable allies for PDs due to their extensive territorial reach and trusted relationships with patients. Additionally, up-to-date organizational and technological tools could play a decisive role in increasing vaccine uptakes. This study, offering valuable insights into the effectiveness of GPs involvement, may be useful to implement similar intervention in different contexts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-696dfa9d7f00495f92a36a22d6a7ff7a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj-art-696dfa9d7f00495f92a36a22d6a7ff7a2025-08-20T02:01:14ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2024-12-011212143810.3390/vaccines12121438Effectiveness of General Practitioners’ Involvement in Adult Vaccination Practices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of International EvidenceAndrea Ceccarelli0Gabriele Munafò1Francesco Sintoni2Christian Cintori3Davide Gori4Marco Montalti5Unit of Hygiene and Medical Statistics, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyUnit of Hygiene and Medical Statistics, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyForlì and Rubicone Health District, Romagna Local Health Authority, 47522 Cesena, ItalySector of Collective Prevention and Public Health, Directorate General for Personal Care, Health, and Welfare, Emilia-Romagna Region, 40127 Bologna, ItalyUnit of Hygiene and Medical Statistics, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyUnit of Hygiene and Medical Statistics, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, ItalyBackground: General practitioners (GPs) and primary care units collaborate with Prevention Departments (PDs) to improve immunization by participating in vaccination campaigns, sharing tools, and implementing educational programs to raise patient awareness. This review aimed to identify effective strategies for involving GPs in PD vaccination practices. Methods: A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted on MEDLINE, TripDatabase, ClinicalTrials, CINAHL, and Cochrane up to January 2024 to identify full-text studies in English evaluating the effectiveness of GP involvement. A meta-analysis was also performed. Results: Of 1018 records, 15 studies were included, with an intermediate quality assessment. Studies originated from the United States (<i>n</i> = 9), Europe (5), Singapore (1), and China (1). Eight studies investigated educational programs for GPs, while seven focused on organizational or technological interventions to enhance immunization practices. Twelve studies reported increased vaccine uptake after intervention. Vaccines addressed included influenza, SARS-CoV-2, pneumococcal, zoster, and trivalent (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis). Interventions involving GPs in PD vaccination campaigns, focusing on organizational or technological strategies, demonstrated a significant increase in vaccine uptake (OR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.03–1.27; <i>p</i> < 0.0001; I<sup>2</sup> = 96%). Conclusions: GPs emerged as valuable allies for PDs due to their extensive territorial reach and trusted relationships with patients. Additionally, up-to-date organizational and technological tools could play a decisive role in increasing vaccine uptakes. This study, offering valuable insights into the effectiveness of GPs involvement, may be useful to implement similar intervention in different contexts.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/12/1438general practitionerprimary carevaccine uptakeprevention departmentssystematic revieweffectiveness evaluation |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Ceccarelli Gabriele Munafò Francesco Sintoni Christian Cintori Davide Gori Marco Montalti Effectiveness of General Practitioners’ Involvement in Adult Vaccination Practices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of International Evidence Vaccines general practitioner primary care vaccine uptake prevention departments systematic review effectiveness evaluation |
| title | Effectiveness of General Practitioners’ Involvement in Adult Vaccination Practices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of International Evidence |
| title_full | Effectiveness of General Practitioners’ Involvement in Adult Vaccination Practices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of International Evidence |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of General Practitioners’ Involvement in Adult Vaccination Practices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of International Evidence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of General Practitioners’ Involvement in Adult Vaccination Practices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of International Evidence |
| title_short | Effectiveness of General Practitioners’ Involvement in Adult Vaccination Practices: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of International Evidence |
| title_sort | effectiveness of general practitioners involvement in adult vaccination practices a systematic review and meta analysis of international evidence |
| topic | general practitioner primary care vaccine uptake prevention departments systematic review effectiveness evaluation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/12/12/1438 |
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