Pertussis vaccination in adults: a behavioral study of physicians from the US, France, and Germany
Abstract Background Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection that affects all ages, though it is most severe in young infants. Adults, especially those with respiratory conditions or other chronic illnesses can also suffer serious consequences of pertussis. Pertussis vaccination...
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BMC
2024-11-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02647-3 |
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| author | Donald Middleton Liana Clark Anne Mosnier Ulrich Heininger |
| author_facet | Donald Middleton Liana Clark Anne Mosnier Ulrich Heininger |
| author_sort | Donald Middleton |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection that affects all ages, though it is most severe in young infants. Adults, especially those with respiratory conditions or other chronic illnesses can also suffer serious consequences of pertussis. Pertussis vaccination is the best method of disease prevention in a lifetime. This behavioral study aimed to assess physicians’ attitudes towards pertussis vaccination in adults and the importance of pertussis vaccination for disease prevention, especially in those with chronic illnesses, and to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adult vaccination behaviors. Methods Between November 2022 and January 2023, physicians from the US, France, and Germany registered in an independent online database were contacted to participate in this study. After eligibility screening, participating physicians completed an online questionnaire addressing topics related to physician recommendations and vaccination behavior around pertussis in adults. Results Eight hundred physicians participated in the study (US: 400; France: 200; Germany: 200). Physicians’ attitudes towards pertussis vaccination in adults were broadly similar between the countries. Overall, 65% of physicians believed in the importance of vaccination against pertussis, a lower proportion than for COVID-19 (82%), influenza (81%), pneumococcal disease (76%), and tetanus (73%). Physicians considered immunocompromised adults or those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, or other respiratory conditions to be at greatest risk from pertussis. Physicians estimated that two-thirds of the adult patients to whom they recommended pertussis vaccination agreed to receive it. The top reason why they felt patients did not receive pertussis vaccination as recommended was low perception of personal risk for pertussis. Physicians’ pertussis vaccination behavior was found to be similar before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions While physicians in the surveyed countries recognized the value of pertussis vaccination in adults, they ranked its importance lower than that of other adult vaccines. Physicians recognized the need to immunize vulnerable adults who are at risk of severe pertussis, such as those with asthma and/or COPD, but this awareness frequently did not result in vaccination of these priority groups, especially without official recommendations to support such vaccination in these groups. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f2f7895df0cb4d79b193d154dc8acebc |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2731-4553 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj-art-f2f7895df0cb4d79b193d154dc8acebc2025-08-20T02:49:16ZengBMCBMC Primary Care2731-45532024-11-012511910.1186/s12875-024-02647-3Pertussis vaccination in adults: a behavioral study of physicians from the US, France, and GermanyDonald Middleton0Liana Clark1Anne Mosnier2Ulrich Heininger3University of Pittsburgh School of MedicineSanofiOpen RomeUniversity of Basel Children’s HospitalAbstract Background Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection that affects all ages, though it is most severe in young infants. Adults, especially those with respiratory conditions or other chronic illnesses can also suffer serious consequences of pertussis. Pertussis vaccination is the best method of disease prevention in a lifetime. This behavioral study aimed to assess physicians’ attitudes towards pertussis vaccination in adults and the importance of pertussis vaccination for disease prevention, especially in those with chronic illnesses, and to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adult vaccination behaviors. Methods Between November 2022 and January 2023, physicians from the US, France, and Germany registered in an independent online database were contacted to participate in this study. After eligibility screening, participating physicians completed an online questionnaire addressing topics related to physician recommendations and vaccination behavior around pertussis in adults. Results Eight hundred physicians participated in the study (US: 400; France: 200; Germany: 200). Physicians’ attitudes towards pertussis vaccination in adults were broadly similar between the countries. Overall, 65% of physicians believed in the importance of vaccination against pertussis, a lower proportion than for COVID-19 (82%), influenza (81%), pneumococcal disease (76%), and tetanus (73%). Physicians considered immunocompromised adults or those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, or other respiratory conditions to be at greatest risk from pertussis. Physicians estimated that two-thirds of the adult patients to whom they recommended pertussis vaccination agreed to receive it. The top reason why they felt patients did not receive pertussis vaccination as recommended was low perception of personal risk for pertussis. Physicians’ pertussis vaccination behavior was found to be similar before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions While physicians in the surveyed countries recognized the value of pertussis vaccination in adults, they ranked its importance lower than that of other adult vaccines. Physicians recognized the need to immunize vulnerable adults who are at risk of severe pertussis, such as those with asthma and/or COPD, but this awareness frequently did not result in vaccination of these priority groups, especially without official recommendations to support such vaccination in these groups.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02647-3Bordetella pertussisWhooping coughPertussis vaccinePertussis vaccinationTdapPhysician recommendations |
| spellingShingle | Donald Middleton Liana Clark Anne Mosnier Ulrich Heininger Pertussis vaccination in adults: a behavioral study of physicians from the US, France, and Germany BMC Primary Care Bordetella pertussis Whooping cough Pertussis vaccine Pertussis vaccination Tdap Physician recommendations |
| title | Pertussis vaccination in adults: a behavioral study of physicians from the US, France, and Germany |
| title_full | Pertussis vaccination in adults: a behavioral study of physicians from the US, France, and Germany |
| title_fullStr | Pertussis vaccination in adults: a behavioral study of physicians from the US, France, and Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pertussis vaccination in adults: a behavioral study of physicians from the US, France, and Germany |
| title_short | Pertussis vaccination in adults: a behavioral study of physicians from the US, France, and Germany |
| title_sort | pertussis vaccination in adults a behavioral study of physicians from the us france and germany |
| topic | Bordetella pertussis Whooping cough Pertussis vaccine Pertussis vaccination Tdap Physician recommendations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02647-3 |
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