Namık Kemal Tıp Dergisi (Dec 2022)
Pertussis Awareness and Vaccination Status of Healthcare Workers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Abstract
Aim:Pertussis is a disease that is transmitted by droplets and has a long contagious period. It can cause severe illness presentation and hospital-acquired outbreaks, especially in preterm babies and infants whose vaccinations have not been completed. For this reason, it is recommended that the mother should be vaccinated with Tdap (tetanus, adult-type diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine) during pregnancy and people who will come into contact with the baby should be vaccinated. This practice is called the cocoon strategy and healthcare workers are also included in the cocoon strategy. The aim of this study is to determine whooping cough awareness and Tdap vaccination status of healthcare workers working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within the scope of the cocoon strategy.Materials and Methods:Our research was designed as a cross-sectional and descriptive face-to-face survey study. Health workers working in Samsun Training and Research Hospital NICU were invited to the research. The questionnaire consisted of four parts, including 21 questions, in order to learn the demographic data of the participants, the level of knowledge about pertussis disease, the level of knowledge about the pertussis vaccine and their vaccination status.Results:Of the 89 participants whose mean age was 38.7±7.3 years, 76% (n=68) were nurses/midwives and doctors. The level of knowledge about pertussis and its vaccines was significantly higher in doctors than in other groups (p<0.001, p<0.003). There was no one vaccinated with Tdap among the participants. A high Pertussis vaccine knowledge score was found to be associated with a positive intention to be vaccinated (p=0.02). When evaluated according to occupations, the intention to be vaccinated was higher among doctors than other groups (p=0.007).Conclusion:As a result, although the Ministry of Health recommends that health workers working in the NICU be vaccinated with Tdap, it is thought that there are problems in practice. There is a need for all physicians who recommend vaccines to healthcare professionals to raise their awareness of whooping cough disease and put the cocoon strategy into practice. Interventions are needed to increase the level of knowledge of allied health personnel about whooping cough disease and pertussis vaccines.
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