Abstract
Objectives: To conduct an audit of vaccination practices against pertussis in maternity wards to assess immunization practices targeting women, knowledge and awareness among health professionals and their involvement in the vaccination process, and to estimate their vaccine coverage.
Materials and methods: 2017 cross-sectional descriptive survey using a data collection sheet of immunization practices targeting women and an anonymous questionnaire for health professionals whose vaccine coverage had been documented by the occupational health service.
Results: Five public maternity wards participated: one had a vaccination policy for women; 426 of 822 health professionals completed the questionnaire, 76% (from 50% of all residents to 83% of nurses) declared their vaccination status as up to date. Staff files in occupational health services showed that 69% of 822 health professionals received at least one vaccine booster during adulthood (57% less than 10 years before the survey); documented vaccination coverage rates ranged from 75% for residents to 91% for senior physicians. Occupational physicians and family physicians respectively performed 41% and 34% of vaccinations. While knowledge regarding vaccines was good, only 47% of health professionals declared prescribing them and 18% declared administering the anti-pertussis vaccine « often » or « very often ».
Conclusions: Updated data is needed to confirm the reported increase as participating centers are not representative of all birth centers. The active role of health professionals in vaccination-based pertussis prevention needs to be reinforced.