title: Comparison of attitudes about polio, polio immunization, and barriers to polio eradication between primary health center physicians and private pediatricians in India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study were to compare attitudes and perceptions of primary health center (PHC) physicians and pediatricians in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar toward polio disease, immunization, and eradication, and to identify barriers to polio eradication.
  
  
  METHODS
  PHC physicians from blocks with at least one confirmed polio case during January 2006 to June 2009 were selected for an in-person survey. Pediatricians were members of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics and were selected from a national directory of members for telephone or mail survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A higher percentage of PHC physicians than pediatricians reported that an unvaccinated child was susceptible to polio (82.1% vs. 63.0%, p<0.0001) and that polio disease was severe in a child aged 1-5 years (77.7% vs. 62.2%, p<0.0001). PHC physicians and pediatricians expressed confidence in the protectiveness and safety of oral polio vaccine and cited parents' lack of awareness of the importance of polio eradication as an important barrier to eradication. Strengthening routine immunization efforts was reported as the leading intervention required to eradicate polio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PHC physicians and pediatricians support and have confidence in the success of polio eradication efforts. These findings will be useful for policy-makers involved in the planning of eradication strategies. Providers and parents need to maintain confidence in polio vaccination if polio is to be eradicated.
authors.affiliation: Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Naveen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thacker
authors.forename: Panna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Gargano
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: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: Vipin M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Vashishtha
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Amod
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Walter A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Orenstein
authors.forename: Saad B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Omer
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010372:Pediatrics; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011055:Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology; D011331:Private Practice; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D011055:Poliovirus Vaccine, Oral