BACKGROUND
Background: Although vaccines currently approved for routine immunization were safe and effective, frequent adverse events following immunization (AEFI) often cause illnesses and sometimes loss of public trust in immunization programs. Vaccination workers were essential in AEFI surveillance system.
OBJECTIVE
Objective: To determine vaccination workers’ knowledge, perception, and practice towards AEFI surveillance in Zhejiang province, China.
METHODS
Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey involving 192 vaccination workers, within 192 out of 1335 vaccination clinics through being randomly selected. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SAS, version 9.3. Knowledge, perceptions, and practice on AEFI surveillance were summarized using frequency tables. The mean (±standard deviation) value was used as the cut-off for defining good (values ≥ mean) and poor (values < mean) knowledge, perception or practice. Chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used to determine associations between the dependent variables (knowledge, perception, and practice) and independent variables.
RESULTS
Results: The proportions of good knowledge, perception and practice on AEFI surveillance were 78.13%, 57.81% and 66.15%, respectively. Having a higher education background, longer years of experience and previous training were significantly positive determinants on good knowledge, perception and practice on AEFI surveillance.
CONCLUSIONS
Conclusion: Over half of the respondents in this study had good knowledge, perception and practice on AEFI surveillance work. Interventions on improving the vaccination workers’ knowledge, perception and practice on AEFI surveillance should be considered, such as the refreshing training, enhancing the continuing medical education, constructing a blame free culture on reporting as well as the on-job mentorship.