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Parents and health visitors attitudes and knowledge regarding immunisation against Haemophilus influenzae type B infection

Braun, Marisa; (1991) Parents and health visitors attitudes and knowledge regarding immunisation against Haemophilus influenzae type B infection. Masters thesis (M.Sc), UCL (University College London). Green open access

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Abstract

Objective: To explore the attitudes and knowledge of parents and health visitors about preventable infectious diseases, particularly immunisation against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Design: Cross sectional study using an 18 point questionnaire for the parents and a 14 point questionnaire for the health visitors. Setting: Clinics of the Barnet Health Authority. Subjects: A hundred and five parents attending Child Health Clinics in Barnet and fifty five health visitors working for the Barnet Health Authority. Main outcome measures; Parents and health visitors awareness of preventable infectious diseases and their knowledge and attitudes towards immunisation particularly with regard to Hib infections. Results: Parents knowledge on primary immunisation was good relating to polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and rubella. Confusion was evident in relation to chickenpox, tuberculosis and meningitis. Parents' information about immunisation was received mostly (91=87%) from health visitors. Health visitors appeared to be particularly influential in the parents decision of whether or not their children were immunised. The media was also shown to be a very important source of information especially regarding meningitis. Most (98=93%) of the parents demonstrated their awareness of meningitis being a serious disease. Twenty one (38%) of the health visitors were uncertain of the causes of meningitis and only six (12%) health visitors referred Hib as a cause of meningitis in under five year-old children. More than half (38=69%) the health visitors in this study said that they did not know about the existance of a vaccine against Hib infection. The health visitors main concern was lack of information on meningitis and its prevention. Conclusion: There is confusion among parents and health visitors about infectious diseases and their prevention, particularly concerning meningitis There is a need for more information both for parents and health visitors on meningitis and Hib. This study findings suggest that campaigns to parents and health visitors together with more health education is needed in advance of the launch of Hib vaccine.

Type: Thesis (Masters)
Qualification: M.Sc
Title: Parents and health visitors attitudes and knowledge regarding immunisation against Haemophilus influenzae type B infection
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Language: English
Additional information: Thesis digitised by ProQuest.
Keywords: Health and environmental sciences; Education; Immunization
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10110177
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