title: Predictors of administration and attitudes about pneumococcal, Haemophilus influenzae type b and rotavirus vaccines among pediatricians in India: a national survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  According to the World Health Organization in 2008, pneumonia accounted for 20% of deaths and diarrheal diseases accounted for 13% of deaths among children under 5 in India. Vaccines are available for Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib vaccine), and rotavirus. Barriers to including these vaccines in routine immunization schedule in India include potential negative impacts on fragile existing immunization programs and cost. Pediatricians who are members of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) are important stakeholders for vaccine delivery and maintaining public confidence in vaccines.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 785 pediatricians belonging to IAP was selected for the survey conducted from June 2009 to June 2010. Descriptive analyses using sampling weights were performed to evaluate the distributions of variables assessing vaccine-related attitudes and behaviors among pediatricians. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with routine vaccine use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of pediatricians reported administering PCV (85.6%), Hib (95.9%), and rotavirus (80.2%) vaccine selectively or routinely. Pediatricians who had high perceived disease susceptibility were 2.42 times more likely to report routine administration of Hib vaccine (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.24, 4.74). Pediatricians who had high perceived Hib vaccine efficacy were 4.74 times more likely to administer Hib vaccine routinely (OR 4.74, 95% CI 2.09, 10.74). Perceptions of disease susceptibility and severity or of vaccine safety and efficacy were not associated with routine administration of PCV or rotavirus vaccine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding predictors of routine use of a new vaccine could help focus interventions to improve the routine use of other vaccines. The importance of perceived susceptibility to and severity of diseases caused by S. pneumoniae, Hib, and rotavirus and perceived efficacy and safety of the vaccines by pediatricians presents an opportunity to design strategies to build support for new vaccine introduction and may have important implications for national immunization policy in India.
authors.affiliation: Emory University, School of Medicine, 1462 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. lgargan@emory.edu
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Gargano
authors.forename: Naveen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thacker
authors.forename: Panna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pazol
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bahl
authors.forename: Hamid S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.forename: Manisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Walter A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Orenstein
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Saad B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Omer
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D010820:Physicians; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011361:Professional Competence; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines