BACKGROUND : One of the most important and effective measures in public health to prevent a disease is vaccination. The attitudes of the physicians along with the patients regarding adult vaccination is very important. In adults, vaccine-preventable diseases such as pneumonia, hepatitis B, tetanus etc are a source of morbidity and mortality. However, in India, as like the rest of the world, children remain the focus of vaccination and its importance and need in adults is yet to be emphasized. In this study, we have aimed to assess the perceptions and attitudes of patients about adult vaccination and their vaccination status in a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Tamilnadu.
Objectives : To assess the perceptions and attitudes about the adult vaccination and their vaccination status among patients attending OPD in Medavakkam PHC.
METHODS : A cross sectional study was conducted from July to September 2021 among 165 adult patients attending OP in Medavakkam PHC using a pretested, semi structured questionnaire. Data was entered in Excel and analyzed using SPSS version 16.
RESULTS : Interview was conducted among 165 participants aged more then eighteen years, nearly 92.7% of the study participants thought that adults should be vaccinated, while only 7.3% thought adults should not be vaccinated. About 80% of the participants stated that vaccination was recommended to them in their adult life and only 83% were aware about adult vaccination.Nearly 30.9% of participants did not keep record of the vaccines they have taken and 65.5% believed in herd immunity. The most commonly received vaccine was covid -19 vaccines in general. While 94% of the patients to whom vaccination was recommended received the vaccine, 69.7% of patients received vaccine without any recommendation.
CONCLUSION : The vaccine coverage rates among adults in this study was relatively high, perceptions of patients about adult vaccination was really positive and most of the study participants reacted in a positive way while their physicians recommended a vaccine for them. In light of the success of childhood vaccinations, there is indeed room for increasing the reception of adult vaccines as well.