Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Primary Health Care Physicians about Adult Vaccination in Abha City, Saudi Arabia

Abstract
Background: Adult vaccination has gained as much atten-tion as childhood vaccination nationwide and worldwide in recent years. Several studies have been performed with a variety of suggestions regarding adult vaccination.
Aim of Study: To assess knowledge, attitude and practices of physicians providing primary health care (PHC) regarding adult vaccination and their own vaccination coverage as well as to explore the possible reasons for low vaccination coverage.
Material and Methods: Following a cross-sectional research design, this study included 103 PHC physicians in Abha City. Based on a similar previous study, a self-administered questionnaire was adopted for data collection.
Results: Only 6% of PHC physicians had good knowledge, while 41% had positive attitude toward adult vaccination, while 10% had negative attitude. Most PHC physicians (70%) had poor practice regarding adult vaccination, while only 10% had good practice. PHC physicians' knowledge was significantly better among older and non-Saudi physicians (p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). PHC physicians' positive attitude toward adult vaccination was significantly higher among female participants (p=0.013), non-Saudi physicians (p=0.004) and those with experience in PHC more than 10 years (p=0.044). PHC physicians' good practice regarding adult vaccination was significantly higher among older phy-sicians and among those with experience in PHC more than 10 years (p=0.004). The most frequently stated reasons for low adult vaccination coverage were “Lack of coordinated immunization programs for adults” (63.1%), “Physicians do not inform patients about adult vaccination because they do not have enough time” (61.2%) and “Lack of availability of up-to-date records and recording systems” (55.3%).
Conclusions: Knowledge of PHC physicians regarding adult vaccination is suboptimal although most of them do not have negative attitude toward adult vaccination. Their practice regarding adult vaccination is mostly poor. There are several identified obstacles against implementing vaccination of adults.
Recommendations: To construct a national guideline for adult vaccination. To organize continuing medical education courses on adult vaccination for PHC physicians. Obstacles against adult vaccination should be further studied and over-come.