title: Vaccine knowledge in students in Paris, France, and surrounding regions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In France, young adults are legally freed from parental authority at the age of 18 years and are, thus, responsible for their own vaccine record. This young adult population is more frequently exposed to vaccine-preventable infectious diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the factors associated with students' knowledge of the interval between two antitetanus boosters and their report of having up-to-date vaccinations.
  
  
  METHODS
  In April 2009, a survey was conducted involving a random sample of students between 18 and 25 years of age eating lunch at university dining facilities in Paris and its suburbs (Ile de France).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 677 students approached, 583 agreed to participate. Only 207 (36%) of respondents knew the recommended dosing interval between two doses of tetanus vaccine booster (10 years). The majority of students (69%) reported having up-to-date vaccinations. Declaring having up-to-date vaccinations was significantly associated with having a general practitioner (OR 3.03 [95% CI 1.69 to 5.55]). Health care students were significantly more likely to know the decennial interval between two antitetanus boosters (OR 2 [95% CI 1.28 to 3.25]). Most of responding students (n=519 [89%]) believed that vaccines were very useful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An overall lack of knowledge of vaccines was observed among this student population. Health care providers, such as GPs and university medical practice staff, who interact with these young individuals have an essential role to promote better vaccination coverage in this population.
authors.affiliation: Tropical and Infectious Diseases Department, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris; ; General Medicine Department, Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Medical School, Paris;
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mellon
authors.affiliation: General Medicine Department, Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Medical School, Paris;
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rigal
authors.affiliation: General Medicine Department, Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Medical School, Paris;
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Partouche
authors.affiliation: Colmar Joint Medical Center, Colmar;
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aoun
authors.affiliation: General Medicine Department, Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Medical School, Paris;
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jaury
authors.affiliation: Direction régionale des affaires sanitaires et sociales île de France, Paris;
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Joannard
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Department, Institut Nationale de Veille Sanitaire, Saint-Maurice;
authors.forename: Jean Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Guthmann
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Georges Pompidou European Hospital;
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cochereau
authors.affiliation: Tropical and Infectious Diseases Department, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris;
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Caumes
authors.affiliation: Tropical and Infectious Diseases Department, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris;
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bricaire
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Department, Cochin Saint Vincent de Paul Hospital, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salmon-Céron
keywords: General practitioner; Students; Tetanus; Vaccine knowledge; Young adults