Perceptions of vaccine preventable diseases in Australian healthcare: focus on pertussis

ABSTRACT Adult vaccination in Australia is suboptimal. For instance, as few as one in nine people have received a pertussis vaccine in adolescence or adulthood, despite increasing disease burden and evidence of a positive correlation between older age and hospitalization rates. The objectives of this study were to describe general practitioners’ (GPs) and adult consumers’ knowledge and attitudes toward adult vaccination, with an emphasis on pertussis. Australian GPs and consumers were recruited in two nationally representative online surveys repeated annually between 2014 and 2018. Vaccination discussions occurred in a minority of adult/GP encounters. Pertussis was among the five most frequently identified vaccine preventable diseases but was unlikely to be proactively discussed with adults not in contact with young children. Among consumers, only one in three recalled ever receiving a pertussis vaccination. GPs are a strong predictor of adults receiving a pertussis vaccine. Possible factors contributing to low uptake are misconceptions around pertussis disease, vaccination requirements and lack of GP recommendation for adult vaccination. GPs have a key role to play in increasing adult vaccination coverage with their recommendation. Plain Language Summary What is the context? Adults aged 65 years and over are at increased risk developing complication from whooping cough(pertussis). vaccination against whooping cough is recommended for adults in Australia. Despite this recommendation, the vaccination rate in Australian adults is low. What is new? We asked general practitioners (GPs) and consumers/patients in Australia about their views and attitudes towards whooping cough vaccination. Our results show that: A GP recommendation is a strong predictor for an adult to receive a whooping cough vaccine,however GPs only proactively discuss vaccination with around 10% of adult patients. When GPs do discuss whooping cough vaccination they mostly have the discussion with adults who are in close contact with young children, but are less likely to do so withother higher-risk groups,such as older adults(who are not in contact with young children) Adults who are not in contact with young children were significantly less likely to recall ever having received a wooping cough vaccination as an adult when comparred to adults(Who are not in contact with young children). Adultes who are not in contact with young children were significantly less likely to recall ever having recived a whooping cough vaccination as an adult when compared to adultes in close contact with children <5 years of age. Uptake of whooping cough vaccination in some in high-risk adults groupa (including adults ≥ 65 years) is low. This could be due to several reasons such as; lack of awareness amongest GPs and patients about vaccination recommendations and the disease-realated risks. What is the impact? Raising awareness about whooping cough vaccination recommendation and disease-relared risks could help increase adult vassination uptake. if successful. this could help prevent whooping coughin those most at risk of whooping coughand complications.