How general practitioners store vaccines. A survey in south-western Sydney.
OBJECTIVE
To describe how general practitioners store vaccines.


METHODS
A cross-sectional descriptive survey of general practices and observation of storage procedures for vaccines.


METHODS
South-western Sydney between September and December 1993.


METHODS
232 randomly selected general practitioners working in south-western Sydney, of whom 76% responded to a questionnaire. Vaccine storage was observed in 20 general practices.


RESULTS
At 80% of practices, one person was responsible for vaccine storage. Only 30% of respondents used a vaccine-only refrigerator. Only 16% of respondents had a means of measuring temperature, while 5% kept a record of refrigerator temperature. Of the general practices that were monitored, the measured temperature of 70% of the refrigerators used for storing vaccines was within the recommended range of 2 degrees C-8 degrees C.


CONCLUSIONS
Vaccine storage would improve in general practices in south-western Sydney if vaccine-only refrigerators were used and temperature was monitored with maximum-minimum thermometers.
Liddle
J L
JL
Department of General Practice, Fairfield Hospital, Sydney, NSW.
Harris
M F
MF
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004356:Drug Storage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D011897:Random Allocation; D012034:Refrigeration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013696:Temperature; D014612:Vaccines
D014612:Vaccines