Meningococcal disease and vaccination: Knowledge and acceptability among adolescents in Italy

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practice about invasive meningococcal disease and the relative vaccine for adolescent in Italy. A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2017 among a sample of 771 adolescents in the geographic area of Naples (Italy). A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was used to collect demographics, knowledge about meningitis and preventive measures, perceived risk for contracting meningitis, attitude towards the utility of meningococcal vaccine, and adolescents’ willingness to receive a meningococcal vaccine. 85.2% of participants have heard about meningitis, 57.2% knew that adolescents are a susceptible population but only 30.3% knew that meningitis is transmitted by respiratory droplets. Moreover, 40.5% of adolescents knew that meningitis is a vaccine-preventable disease and that adolescents could be vaccinated. This knowledge was significantly greater among female participants, among those who talk with parents about vaccinations, among who have received information about vaccinations from physicians, among who have positive attitude towards the utility of information received on vaccinations and among who don't feel the need of additional information about meningitis. As regard the attitudes, 25.7% of adolescents thought that the vaccine was very useful. Males, adolescent aged 11–13 years, those who had the positive attitude towards the utility of information received about vaccinations and those who had received at least one vaccination in the last year were more likely to have this attitude. The our finding identifies the need to improve adolescents’ knowledge about meningitis and its related vaccinations, through correct health education, in order to have a good acceptance of vaccination.

Keywords

• adolescent
• meningococcal vaccine
• knowledge
• attitude
• behavior
• meningitis