The perception and attitudes of pharmacists and their users towards vaccination and vaccinehesitancy. A cross sectional study

Background and objectives: The increase in vaccine hesitancy threatens advances in public health and causes vaccine-preventable diseases outbreaks in infra-vaccinated communities. This study aims to determine and compare the perception and attitudes towards vaccination among pharmacy users, pharmacy students and community pharmacists. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted during March and April 2020, surveying perceptions and attitudes towards vaccination in Barcelona (Spain). Statistical analysis was assessed by chi2 test and multivariate regression. Statistical significance when P < .05. The association measure of Odds Ratio and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated. Results: A high percentage of hesitant opinions (44%) among pharmacy users was observed, despite high vaccine coverage (80%). Some showed mistrust in the health system (23.3%) and a statistically significant association was found between previous negative experiences with vaccination and hesitant attitudes (OR: 3.04; 95%CI 1.16 to 7.93; P = .02). Of all surveyed pharmacy users, those over 44 years old showed a stronger hesitant attitude towards vaccines (OR: 2.63; 95%CI 1.11 to 6.19; P = .03), and 40% undervalued influenza vaccine, including risk groups. Both pharmacy students and community pharmacists had a positive attitude towards vaccination. While only 16% of surveyed pharmacists vaccinated against influenza during the 2019/2020 influenza seasonal campaign, most of them considered their vaccination important to the profession (61%). Conclusions: Active promotion and education of the population and reliable communication on vaccines are some of the needs that community pharmacists can solve, claiming their role as highly qualified health professionals in daily contact with the population

¿Qué nos ha enseñado la pandemia?

El 31 de diciembre de 2019 la Comisión Municipal de Salud y Sanidad de Wuhan (China) comunicó 27 casos de neumonía, siete de ellos graves, de etiología desconocida. El 12 de enero de 2020 las autoridades chinas compartieron la secuencia genética del agente causal. Se trataba de un coronavirus, hasta entonces desconocido, que denominaron SARS-CoV-2

Qué hemos hecho bien en España para controlar la covid-19 tan rápido

La nanotecnología aporta a los estudiantes la posibilidad de entender y practicar tecnología y pensar en los retos globales del futuro de manera práctica y positiva

Covid-19: ¿Por qué son necesarias las dosis de refuerzo?

La administración de dosis de refuerzo con vacuna distinta a la utilizada para la primovacunación es segura y la persona vacunada queda mejor protegida

Epidemiology of measles virus outbreaks in Catalonia: importance of immunization in the elimination era

Podeu consultar el llibre complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/63704Eradicating measles represents a major public health achievement, yet outbreaks still occur in territories where endemic measles virus (MV) had been eliminated. In Catalonia from the year 2000 cases have occurred as isolated cases or small outbreaks, both linked to imported cases up to the end of 2006 when a large outbreak started out affecting mainly children ≤15m. In consequence, immunization schedule was amended lowering first dose to 12m. Again new MV importations from neighboring countries triggered another outbreak on November 2010 with a different age distribution sparing small children from infection. Differences in incidence (IR), rate ratio (RR) and 95% CI and hospitalization rate (HR) by age group were determined. Statistic z was used for comparing proportions. Total number of confirmed cases was 305 vs 381 in 2006; mean age 20 yrs (SD 14.8yrs; 3m -51yrs) vs 15m (SD13.1yrs; 1m-50yrs). Highest proportion of cases was set in ≥25yrs (47%) vs 24.2% in 2006 (p<0.001). Difference in IR for ≤ 15m was statistically significant (49/100,000 vs 278.2/100,000; RR:3.9; 95%CI 2.9-5.4) and in HR 30.2% vs 15.7% (p<0.001). The change of the month of administration of the first dose proved successful. Given the current epidemiological situation, continued awareness and efforts to reach young adult population are needed to stop the spread of the virus

Evolució de les malalties immunoprevenibles. Catalunya, 1983-2003

Malalties immunoprevenibles; Eradicació; Vigilància i controlVaccine-preventable illnesses; Eradication; Surveillance and controlEnfermedades inmunoprevenibles; Erradicación; Vigilancia y controlL'anàlisi de les notificacions que els professionals sanitaris realitzen al sistema de notificacions de malalties de declaració obligatòria permet descriure l'evolució al llarg del temps i conèixer la tendència mostrada per cada una. En aquest article s'exposa l’evolució d’aquestes malalties, tot utilitzant les dades que han estat publicades en els resums anuals de les malalties de declaració obligatòria i altres articles del BEC.The analysis of notifications registered by health professionals to notifiable diseases system allows to describe the evolution over time and know the trend shown by each of them. This article discusses the evolution of these diseases, using data that have been published in the annual summaries of notifiable diseases and in other BEC articles.El análisis de las notificaciones que los profesionales sanitarios realizan en el sistema de notificaciones de enfermedades de declaración obligatoria permite describir la evolución a lo largo del tiempo y conocer la tendencia mostrada por cada una. En este artículo se expone la evolución de estas enfermedades, utilizando los datos que han sido publicadas en los resúmenes anuales de las enfermedades de declaración obligatoria y otros artículos del BEC

Declining hepatitis A seroprevalence in adults in Catalonia (Spain): a population-based study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>One of the main uses of seroprevalence studies it to evaluate vaccination programmes. In 1998, a programme of universal vaccination of preadolescents in schools with the hepatitis A vaccine was begun in Catalonia. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis A virus infection (HAV) in a sample of the adult population of Catalonia in 2002 and to evaluate the changes with respect to a survey carried out in 1996.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The prevalence of HAV antibodies was determined by a third generation competitive immunometric assay in a representative sample of 1292 people aged >15 years. The association between the prevalence and different sociodemographic variables was determined by multiple logistic regression analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The standardized global prevalence of HAV antibodies in 2002 was 68.2%, increased with age (p < 0.0001) and was associated with being born outside Catalonia (OR: 1.75; 95% CI 1.11–2.76) and lower social class (OR: 1.14; 95% CI 1.05–1.25). Compared with the last survey carried out in 1996 the standardized global prevalence was lower (68.2% vs 77.8%; p < 0.0001) as was the prevalence in people under 45 years.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The prevalence of the hepatitis A virus is decreasing in the adult population of Catalonia, especially in the younger age groups. The programme of vaccination of adolescents begun in 1998 to control the disease can provide indirect protection to the unvaccinated population.</p

Geographical differences in wooping cough in Catalonia, Spain, from 1990 to 2010

BACKGROUND: Whooping cough is a communicable disease whose incidence has increased in recent years in some countries with vaccination. Since 1981, in Catalonia (Spain), cases must be reported to the Public Health Department. In 1997, surveillance changed from aggregated counts to individual report and the surveillance system was improved after 2002. Catalan public health is universal with equal coverage geographically. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in whooping cough incidence in rural and urban counties. METHODS: Cases in 1990-2010 were classified as rural or urban. Incidences and risk ratios (RR) between urban and rural counties and 95% CI were calculated. Associations between rural and urban counties and structural changes during the study period were analysed. RESULTS: Twelve years of the whole study period showed differences in incidence between rural and urban counties. The incidence was higher in urban counties in seven years and rural counties in five years. There was a positive association of whooping cough incidence in rural and urban counties in four-week periods. Structural changes were detected in the following four-week periods: 4th in 1993, 7th in 1996 and 3rd 2005 in rural counties and 5th 1993, 9th in 1996 and 8th in 2007 in urban counties. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in whooping cough between rural and urban counties were found. In most years, the incidence was higher in urban than in rural counties. Rural and urban counties show similar cyclic behaviour when four-week periods were considered

The impact of immigration and vaccination in reducing the incidence of hepatitis B in Catalonia (Spain)

Background: The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major cause of liver disease and liver cancer worldwide according to the World Health Organization. Following acute HBV infection, 1-5% of infected healthy adults and up to 90% of infected infants become chronic carriers and have an increased risk of cirrhosis and primary hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the reduction in acute hepatitis B incidence and the universal vaccination programme in preadolescents in Catalonia (Spain), taking population changes into account, and to construct a model to forecast the future incidence of cases that permits the best preventive strategy to be adopted. Methods: Reported acute hepatitis B incidence in Catalonia according to age, gender, vaccination coverage, percentage of immigrants and the year of report of cases was analysed. A statistical analysis was made using three models: generalized linear models (GLM) with Poisson or negative binomial distribution and a generalized additive model (GAM). Results: The higher the vaccination coverage, the lower the reported incidence of hepatitis B (p 70%, the reduction in incidence was 2-fold higher than in groups with a coverage <70% (p <0.01). The increase in incidence was significantly-higher in groups with a high percentage of immigrants and more than 15% (p <0.01) in immigrant males of working age (19-49 years). Conclusions: The results of the adjusted models in this study confirm that the global incidence of hepatitis B has declined in Catalonia after the introduction of the universal preadolescent vaccination programme, but the incidence increased in male immigrants of working age. Given the potential severity of hepatitis B for the health of individuals and for the community, universal vaccination programmes should continue and programmes in risk groups, especially immigrants, should be strengthened