Attitudes toward Vaccinations and Vaccination Coverage Rates among Dental Students in Greece

Bibliographic Data

ID15513893
AuthorsHelena C Maltezou (0000-0003-0264-3547, National Public Health Organization, corresponding author), Christos Rahiotis (0000-0002-4117-3501, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Maria Tseroni (0000-0003-1463-7056, National Public Health Organization), Phoebus Madianos (0000-0003-0935-5601, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), Ιoannis Tzoutzas (0000-0002-6249-7476, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
Year2022
Volume19
Issue5
Pages2879-2879
Publication date2022-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph19052879
PMID35270571
OpenAlexW4214843425
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited39

Our aim was to study attitudes toward vaccinations, full vaccination rates and susceptibility rates against vaccine-preventable diseases among students attending a University Dental School. A total of 134 students were studied. Full vaccination rates were as follows: 56.5% against measles and mumps, 70.6% against rubella, 32.3% against varicella, 44.1% against hepatitis A, 45.9% against hepatitis B, and 87.7% against COVID-19. In the past decade, 63.2% of students had received a booster shot against tetanus-diphtheria, 47.8% against pertussis, and 28.1% against poliomyelitis, while 29.4% of students had been vaccinated against influenza in the past year. Susceptibility rates were 40.4% for measles, 42.4% for mumps, 28.3% for rubella, 32.3% for varicella, 55.3% for hepatitis A, 54.1% for hepatitis B, 36.8% for tetanus-diphtheria, 52.2% for pertussis, and 71.9% for poliomyelitis. Overall, 123 (91.8%) students favored mandatory vaccinations, mainly for all dentists (88.4%), while 11.6% of students favored them only for dentists who provide care to high-risk patients. In conclusion, most dental students favored mandatory vaccinations, yet we found significant vaccination gaps and susceptibility rates against vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccinations for dental students should be intensified. A national vaccination registry for healthcare personnel including dental students is urgently needed

Booster dose · Diphtheria · Environmental health · Hepatitis · Hepatitis A · Hepatitis A vaccine · Hepatitis B · Immunization · Measles · Poliomyelitis · Rubella · Tetanus · Vaccination · Vaccine-preventable diseases · Dental Research and COVID-19 · Medicine · SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research · Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy · Immunology · Pediatrics

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