6296 Spotty: surveying paediatricians’ attitudes towards the chicken pox vaccine (Yes/No)

Objectives An effective varicella zoster (chicken pox) vaccine¹ has been available since the 1990s with universal childhood programmes in many countries. Vaccine access in the UK is limited by narrow NHS eligibility criteria, awareness of the option to vaccinate and financial ability to purchase privately; these factors could increase healthcare inequities due to their uneven socioeconomic prevalence.² As paediatricians are well-placed to give vaccine advice, routinely and opportunistically, analyses of their attitudes and assessment of learning needs are crucial to support introduction of any vaccine.³ This study explores paediatricians' attitudes and knowledge regarding the vaccine and their personal use of it. Methods Data were collected from June to September 2023 via an anonymised online questionnaire (Qualtrics), from UK-based doctors working and training in paediatrics. Respondents were recruited through paediatric networks. Results Table 1 describes participant characteristics and responses. Those with less than ten years' experience were more likely to feel unable to advise parents, whilst experience did not impact personal opinions of the varicella vaccine. Of those (183/272) with appropriately aged children, 73% (135/183) had them vaccinated; 115 (85%) purchased the vaccine privately. Those reporting insufficient access to information about the vaccine correlated with those who did not recommend to family and friends (22/37, 59%) and those who thought the vaccine should not be introduced/were unsure (38/57, 69%). A majority would recommend to family and friends (225, 85%), however only 60% (134) would advise parents, suggesting a higher bar for professional discussions than personal. Most, (193, 75%) thought that over 80% of parents would accept varicella vaccine if offered routinely, with 150 (58%) thinking the combined Measles Mumps Rubella Vaccine (MMRV) would achieve the best uptake. Conclusion While the majority of paediatricians surveyed chose to vaccinate their children, and believed the varicella vaccine should be added to the routine schedule, some did not agree. Insufficient information about the vaccine was a hurdle to discussion with families, exacerbated in those with less experience. It is vital that targeted paediatrician training is included in any communication strategies accompanying varicella vaccine introduction, to maximise uptake and broadly tackle vaccine hesitancy. References Marin M, Marti M, Kambhampati A, Jeram SM, Seward JF. Global varicella vaccine effectiveness: a meta-analysis. Pediatrics 2016;137. Taha M-K, et al. Equity in vaccination policies to overcome social deprivation as a risk factor for invasive meningococcal disease. Expert Rev Vaccines 2022;21:659– 674. Lienert F, Weiss O, Schmitt K, Heininger U, Guggisberg, P. Acceptance of universal varicella vaccination among swiss pediatricians and general practitioners who treat pediatric patients. BMC Infect Dis 2021;21:12.