THE VAXED PROJECT: An Assessment of Immunization Education in Canadian Health Professional Programs

Pelly, Lorine; MacDougall, Donna; Halperin, Donna; Strang, Robert; Bowles, Susan K.; Baxendale, Darlene; McNeil, Shelly

doi:10.1186/1472-6920-10-86

Cited by 67 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…We computed an overall knowledge score by calculating the percentage of knowledge questions answered correctly. Knowledge scores reflect competence of general immunization information (routine guidelines, contraindications), specific vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases, and recommendations for special populations [8]. We reported frequencies and percentages for categorical variables (gender, classes, demographics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We obtained permission to use knowledge, attitude, and practice questions from a previously validated instrument used in a study in Canada [8]. We developed additional questions based on our review of the literature and current vaccination guidelines.…”

Section: Survey Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The questionnaire consisted of 15 true/false knowledge questions, 4 multiple-choice knowledge questions, 18 attitude statements with agreement assessed using a Likert-scale, 5 personal-practice questions assessed using a Likert scale for importance, and 8 demographic questions (6 multiple-choice and 2 open-ended) (instrument available from the authors upon request). We created an overall knowledge score for each student by adding the total correct answers to the 15 true/false and 4 multiple-choice knowledge questions (i.e., 19 questions from a survey developed and validated by the Canadian Center for Vaccinology for use on health professional students [8]). …”

Section: Survey Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During their clinical years, medical students may discuss and recommend vaccines as part of their pediatric and internal medicine clerkships, which occur sometime in their third or fourth year. Studies conducted on medical students in Canada and Germany identified the importance of assessing student knowledge of vaccines to support the creation of targeted educational interventions to help prepare students for patient interactions related to immunization [8,9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Medical Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Immunization

M¹

2012

J Vaccines Vaccin

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Physician knowledge and support of vaccines greatly influence patient decisions to get vaccinated, and medical schools can cultivate vaccination knowledge and positive attitudes towards vaccines. We sought to establish a baseline of medical student knowledge, attitudes, and practices about vaccines to identify knowledge gaps, characterize common themes in student beliefs, and determine the need for vaccination education interventions. We administered a survey questionnaire, designed to assess medical student knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards vaccination to second, third, and fourth year medical students at the University of Central Florida, College of Medicine. We surveyed the students within the first two weeks of the start of their respective academic years. We found that student knowledge levels correlated significantly with year and experience delivering immunizations. We estimated mean knowledge scores for second, third, and fourth year students of 55% (SD 13), 65% (SD 13), and 74% (SD 10), respectively. Students expressed positive and supportive attitudes and practices towards vaccination. Our results show low confidence in patient and personal education regarding vaccines, with 40% of students reporting feeling comfortable answering questions from patients or parents about vaccines, and 29% reporting their receipt of adequate vaccination education in medical school. This study provides a foundation to initiate the development of comprehensive vaccination education for medical students. Further studies should expand the survey to other medical institutions to inform the creation of immunization competencies for all US medical students and develop an educational intervention to address the knowledge gaps we identified.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Survey Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Survey Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Medical Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Immunization

M¹

2012

J Vaccines Vaccin

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“…They found wide variation in curricula between the different professions and between programs of the same discipline. 5 In April 2010, the Alberta College of Pharmacists (ACP), a regulatory body governing pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacies in Alberta, approved the University of Alberta Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences' proposed training and certification program to administer medications by injection. To enhance the knowledge, competence, and level of confidence of pharmacy students' injection skills, the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences collaborated with the University Health Centre to include pharmacy students in the university's annual influenza campaign.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of an Injection Training and Certification Program for Pharmacy Students

Banh

Cor

2014

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education

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Objective. To evaluate an injection training and certification program for third-year (P3) pharmacy students, and to measure the impact of students' administration of immunizations at an influenza clinic on their knowledge, skills, and competence in immunization. Design. A repeated measures design was used to assess students' injection skills across the injection training and certification program and the influenza clinic. A repeated measures design was also used to evaluate students' self-reported knowledge, experience, and confidence. Assessment. Postcertification and during influenza clinic comparisons showed significant improvement in students' knowledge, experience, and confidence after taking part in the influenza clinic. University staff members and students indicated in a survey that they were satisfied with the clinic services provided by pharmacy students. Conclusion. The injection training and certification program and the university influenza clinic were effective in enhancing and fostering student skills development.

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Building Confidence in Vaccines

Smith

Appleton

MacDonald

2012

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology

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Despite significant efforts by governments, organizations and individuals to maintain public trust in vaccines, concerns persist and threaten to undermine the effectiveness of immunization programs. Vaccine advocates have traditionally focused on education based on evidence to address vaccine concerns and hesitancy. However, being informed of the facts about immunization does not always translate into support for immunization. While many are persuaded by scientific evidence, others are more influenced by cognitive shortcuts, beliefs, societal pressure and the media, with the latter group more likely to hesitate over immunization. Understanding evidence from the behaviour sciences opens new doors to better support individual decision-making about immunization. Drawing on heuristics, this overview explores how individuals find, process and utilize vaccine information and the role health care professionals and society can play in vaccine decision-making. Traditional, evidence-based approaches aimed at staunching the erosion of public confidence in vaccines are proving inadequate and expensive. Enhancing public confidence in vaccines will be complex, necessitating a much wider range of strategies than currently used. Success will require a shift in how the public, health care professionals and media are informed and educated about vaccine benefits, risks and safety; considerable introspection and change in current academic and vaccine decision-making practices; development of proactive strategies to broadly address current and potential future concerns, as well as targeted interventions such as programs to address pain with immunization. This overview outlines ten such opportunities for change to improve vaccine confidence.

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THE VAXED PROJECT: An Assessment of Immunization Education in Canadian Health Professional Programs

Cited by 67 publications

References 12 publications

Medical Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Immunization

Medical Student Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Immunization

Evaluation of an Injection Training and Certification Program for Pharmacy Students

Building Confidence in Vaccines

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