Background: Travelers play a significant role in the spread of infectious diseases across international borders, through their travel patterns and behaviors. Travel may be the only risk factor for infectious diseases that are well controlled in the travelers country of residence, particularly vaccine-preventable diseases.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge and practice of travel vaccination and malaria prophylaxis among resident doctors of BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad.
Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Civil Hospital and BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad. The study was conducted from July 2017 to October 2017. A pilot study was conducted among 20 resident doctors, and the prevalence of knowledge of travel vaccination was found to be 65%. Using the formula 4pq/L2, data were collected from 100 resident doctors. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, and data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2013 and EpiInfo 7. For statistical analysis, Chi-square test was applied. Ethical consent was taken from all respondents.
Results: 86% of the resident doctors were having knowledge about travel vaccination, and 79% were knowing about the requirement of malaria prophylaxis given to travelers. The travel vaccine knowledge was 100% among the persons above 30 years of age, and it was 86% in the younger age group (2025 years). Country-wise knowledge about travel vaccination was more for developing countries than developed countries. Only 8.3% gave the history of taking immunization for international travel. Reasons for not taking immunization were not required for country of travel followed by non-awareness.
Conclusion: The knowledge of travel vaccine and malaria prophylaxis was more among the 30+ age group followed by 2025 age groups, and the knowledge of both was more among males. The practice of travel vaccination was found to be poor.
Key words: Travel Vaccination; Malaria Prophylaxis; Resident Doctors
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