Knowledge and practice regarding the administration of the pentavalent vaccine among health care workers in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR: A mixed method approach
Abstract
Background: The pentavalent vaccine is an essential, cost-effective public health measure to reduce preventable premature child mortality and childhood mobility and contributes to lowering the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge and practice of providing pentavalent vaccines and its related factors among health care workers (HCWs).
Method: This was a cross-sectional analytical study, using the qualitative and quantitative methods. The study was conducted in nine district hospitals and 33 health centers in Vientiane Capital. In total, 184 health care workers were involved in the study and in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 HCWs. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to determine the factors associated with the knowledge and the practice of pentavalent vaccines. A thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data.
Results: The results showed that more than half (63.3%) had poor knowledge of the pentavalent vaccine, while about two thirds (65.7%) reported good practices for delivering the pentavalent vaccine. In the multiple logistic regression, significant factors associated with the knowledge of the pentavalent vaccine were the qualification of HCWs (AOR=2.6, 95% CI=1.1 – 6.3, p=0.030), receiving training on vaccines (AOR=3.4, 95% CI=1.7 – 6.8, p
Key words: Keywords: Pentavalent vaccine, health care workers, knowledge and practice, Lao PDR.
|
