The attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge of healthcare professionals towards the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of bacterial meningitis in Turkey

Abstract

In this large convenient sample of physicians in Turkey, we showed that there are heterogenous approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial meningitis, also differences between pediatricians and non-pediatricians regarding their beliefs and attitudes, which may be due to differences in the epidemiology and clinical presentation between children and adults. We observed appropriate but unnecessary extended courses of antibiotics for meningitis. Most of the participants thought that children are a vulnerable risk group that should potentially be immunized and that meningococcal vaccines should be included in the National Immunization Program. Our results imply that more awareness is needed regarding diagnosis, treatment, and further recommendations for meningitis at the country level in Turkey.

Pediatric and Family Physicians' Attitudes Regarding Childhood Optional Vaccines During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…These rates are lower than our rates, and the reason for this difference can be explained by the inclusion of abstaining physicians in this number or regional differences. In a study by Dinleyici et al [ 32 ], 74.3% of 339 physicians stated that meningococcal vaccines should be included in the national immunization program. Celep [ 18 ] found these rates to be 55.1% for rotavirus, 59% for meningococcus, 52.6% for HPV, and 32.1% for influenza in a study conducted among family physicians.…”

“…In the United States, it was stated that the meningococcal B vaccine was recommended in routine pediatric visits with a frequency of 51% and 31% among pediatricians and family physicians, respectively, and in another study conducted in Italy, it was recommended by pediatricians with a frequency of 93% [ 37 , 38 ]. In a study evaluating the meningococcal vaccine recommendations of pediatricians in Turkey, 40.7% stated that they recommend it to their patients [ 32 ]. The rate of recommendation of conjugated meningococcal vaccine to patients by Dinleyici et al [ 32 ] was reported as 53.6% among pediatricians and adult physicians.…”

Meningococcal Disease and Related Vaccinations: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Healthcare Workers Who Provide Care to Patients with Underlying High-Risk Medical Conditions

“…These findings suggest that HCWs’ knowledge is focused on all vaccine-preventable diseases and not specifically to meningococcal disease and related vaccinations. This is not surprising since a considerably lower level of knowledge was observed in a study performed in Turkey among pediatric and adult specialists, wherein asplenia/splenectomy (9.7%) and immunodeficient patients (9.7%) were identified among the risk groups recommended for anti-meningococcal vaccination [ 22 ]. Nevertheless, almost half of the participants evaluated their knowledge about meningococcal disease (48.7%) and related vaccination strategy (42.3%) to be very poor and a large majority of participants reported the need for additional information on this topic.…”

“…There were no incentives offered to those who participated in the survey. A sample size of 361 HCWs was calculated by using single population proportion formula with the assumption that 17% of HCWs [ 17 , 20 , 21 , 22 ] would recommend meningococcal vaccinations, a confidence level of 95%, a margin of error at 5%, and a response rate of 60%. The questionnaire, developed by the research team, and based on previously validated questionnaires [ 19 , 23 ], was pilot tested prior to the beginning of the survey in order to ensure that the questions were understood as intended and to omit or reformulate the questions that were misinterpreted.…”

Belçika, Almanya ve Hollanda'da Yaşayan Türk Vatandaşlarının Türkiye'ye Seyahatleri Sırasında Nazofaringeal Meningokokkal Taşıyıcılık Prevalansı ve Serogrup Dağılımı

“…Serogroup C was not detected in this group, possibly due to the high rate and long history of serogroup Crelated monovalent conjugate vaccines in their countries of residence. In Turkey, the majority of pediatricians and infectious disease specialists reported believing that meningococcal vaccines should be a part of the National Immunization Program, especially for healthy children as well as groups at risk of developing IMD (21). In summary, the development of vaccine strategies for meningococcal infections, ongoing surveillance studies, and strategies to monitor travelers and other high-risk groups are important in preventing the spread of IMD both in Turkey and worldwide.…”