Comparison of attitudes and knowledge about vaccination against COVID-19 disease of Medical school students in Split and family medicine doctors of Split-Dalmatia County

• Published in: Medica Jadertina (Zagreb) Vol. 54; no. 1; pp. 29 - 36
• Main Authors: Vilović, Tina, Žužić Furlan, Sanja, Janjić Zovko, Nina, Vrebalov Cindro, Maja, Aljinović Baleta, Tina, Tadić, Mirna, Dučić, Dino, Tomičić, Marion, Stipica Safić, Ivona
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 05-04-2024
• ISSN: 1848-817X; 1848-817X
• DOI: 10.57140/mj.54.1.4

Glavni cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati razlikuju li se stavovi o cijepljenju protiv bolesti COVID-19 studenata medicine i liječnika obiteljske medicine u Splitsko-dalmatinskoj županiji. Provedeno je presječno istraživanje u kojem je sudjelovalo 176 studenata medicine, 47 studenata dentalne medicine, te 100 liječnika obiteljske medicine. Ispitanici su rješavali anketni upitnik putem Google forms internetske aplikacije tijekom lipnja 2021. Korištena je peterostupanjska Likertova skala koja je sadržavala 27 tvrdnji. Prikupljeni podaci obrađeni su u programima STATISTICA 14 i Python. Utvrđeno je da pozitivan stav o svim cjepivima protiv bolesti COVID-19 ima statistički značajno više liječnika u odnosu na studente (P=0,038). Zadovoljstvo organiziranošću cijepljenja protiv bolesti COVID-19 statistički je značajno veće u liječnika nego studenata (P=0,006). Iako u procijepljenosti između studenata i liječnika nema statistički značajne razlike, ona je pronađena između studenata pretkliničkih i kliničkih godina studija (P=0,005). Udio cijepljenih veći je u studenata kliničkih godina (67%). Također, utvrđeno je, sa statistički značajnom razlikom, da su ispitanici koji su cijepljeni protiv gripe spremniji i na cijepljenje protiv COVID-19 bolesti (P=0,001), te da se značajno više liječnika nego studenata odlučilo na cijepljenje protiv gripe ove ili prethodnih sezona (P<0,001). Studijom je dokazano da su opći stavovi studenata medicinskog fakulteta i liječnika obiteljske medicine o cijepljenju pozitivni. Naime, poznato je da se stavovi pojedinca prema primjeni cjepiva uvelike odražavaju na procijepljenost i incidenciju zaraznih bolesti u populaciji, te je jako važno da i studenti, koji će biti aktivni sudionici zdravstvenog sustava i liječnici obiteljske medicine, koji su najdostupniji sudionici zdravstvenog sustava, imaju jednake stavove o najučinkovitijoj metodi zaštite populacije od širenja zaraznih bolesti.
The main goal of this research was to examine whether the attitudes about vaccination against the COVID-19 disease distinguish between medical students and family medicine doctors in the County of Split. In this cross-sectional study 176 medical students participated, 47 students of dental medicine and 100 family medicine doctors. The respondents answered a questionnaire via the Google forms internet application during June 2021. A five-point Likert scale containing 27 statements was used. The collected data were processed in STATISTICA 14 and Python programs. It was found that statistically significantly more doctors had a positive attitude about all vaccines against the COVID-19 disease than students (P=0.038). Satisfaction with the organization of vaccination against the COVID-19 disease was statistically significantly higher in doctors than in students (P=0.006). Although there was no statistically significant difference in vaccination between students and doctors, it was found between students in the preclinical and clinical years of study (P=0.005). The proportion of those vaccinated was higher in students of clinical years (67%). It was also determined, with a statistically significant difference, that respondents who had been vaccinated against the influenza were more willing to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 disease (P=0.001) and that significantly more doctors than students decided to get vaccinated against the influenza this season than in previous seasons (P<0.001). The study proved that the general attitudes of medical school students and family medicine doctors concerning vaccination are positive. To be specific, it is known that an individual's attitude towards the use of vaccines are largely reflected in the vaccination rate and incidence of infectious diseases in the population. It is very important that both students, who will be active participants in the health system and family medicine doctors, who are the most accessible participants in the health system, have equal views on the most effective method of protecting the population from the spread of infectious diseases.