[Pneumococcal vaccination in general practice]. / A pneumococcusvakcináció gyakorlata a családorvosi praxisokban.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of invasive pneumococcal disease, which is depending on risk factors and comorbidities, is increasing over the age of 50 years. Most developed countries have recommendations but vaccination rates remain low. AIM: To assess the general practitioners' daily practice in relation to pneumococcal vaccination and analyse the effect of informing the subjects about the importance of pneumococcal vaccination on vaccination routine. METHOD: Subjects over 50 years of age vaccinated against influenza during the 2012/2013 campaign were informed about the importance of pneumococcal vaccination and asked to fill in a questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 4000 subjects, 576 asked for a prescription of pneumococcal vaccine (16.5% of females and 11.6% of males, OR 1.67 CI 95% 1.37-2.04, p<0.001) and 310 were vaccinated. The mean age of females and males was 70.95 and 69.8 years, respectively (OR 1.01; CI 95% 1.00-1.02; p<0.05). Information given by physicians resulted in 33,6% prescription rate, while in case it was 8% when nurses provided information (OR 6.33; CI 95% 5.23-7.67; p<0.001). As an effect of this study the vaccination rate was 6.3 times higher than in the previous year campaign (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: General practitioners are more effective in informing subjects about the importance of vaccination than nurses. Campaign can raise the vaccination rate significantly.