title: Physician Knowledge and Attitudes About Hepatitis A and Current Practices Regarding Hepatitis A Vaccination Delivery.
abstract: To assess physicians': 1) knowledge and attitudes about hepatitis A disease and hepatitis A (HepA) vaccine, 2) child care and school HepA vaccine mandates, 3) practices related to HepA vaccine delivery, 4) factors associated with strongly recommending HepA vaccine to all 1- to 2-year-olds, and 5) feasibility of implementing HepA catch-up vaccination at health maintenance visits.
  
  
  
  A national survey was conducted among representative networks of pediatricians and family medicine physicians (FMs) from March to June, 2014 via e-mail or mail on the basis of provider preference.
  
  
  
  Response rates were 81% (356 of 440) among pediatricians and 75% (348 of 464) among FMs. Less than 50% correctly identified that hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection is usually asymptomatic in young children and that morbidity from HAV disease increases with age. Ninety-two percent of pediatricians and 59% of FMs strongly recommend HepA vaccine for all 1- to 2-year-olds. In addition to practice specialty, belief that HepA vaccine is required for kindergarten enrollment was the most robust predictor of strong physician recommendation.
  
  
  
  Gaps in knowledge regarding HAV infection and hepatitis A recommendations and lack of a strong recommendation for routine HepA vaccination of young children among FMs likely contribute to suboptimal coverage. Closing knowledge gaps and addressing barriers that prevent all physicians from strongly recommending HepA vaccine to 1- to 2-year-olds could help increase HepA vaccine coverage and ultimately improve population protection against HAV infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga. Electronic address: xdg9@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Noele P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Mandy A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Allison
authors.affiliation: Immunization Services Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga.
authors.forename: Megan C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lindley
authors.affiliation: Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brtnikova
authors.affiliation: Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora; Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora.
authors.forename: Lori A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Crane
authors.affiliation: Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora.
authors.forename: Brenda L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Beaty
authors.affiliation: Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora; Division of General Internal Medicine, Denver Health, Colo.
authors.forename: Laura P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.affiliation: Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kempe
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D014611:Vaccination
keywords: catch-up vaccination; family medicine physicians; hepatitis A; hepatitis A vaccine; pediatricians