Comparison of Knowledge Levels and Attitudes of Family Medicine Assistants About Meningococcal Infection and Vaccines Before and After Education

Objective: Neisseria meningitidis, which has one of the highest mortality rates without treatment, is one of the most common causes of bacterial meningitis in the world.Invasive meningococcal disease caused by this agent is one of the diseases that can be prevented by vaccination.The aim of this study was to measure and evaluate the level of knowledge and attitudes of family medicine residents about meningococcal infection and vaccines before and after the training program.Material and Methods: Our descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between 01.02.2023 and 31.03.2023 with 102 family medicine residents working in University of Health Sciences Türkiye, Adana City Training and Research Hospital, Participants were asked for sociodemographic data before and after the training program and questionnaire about their knowledge and attitudes about meningococcal infection and vaccines.The data obtained were analyzed with a statistical software package.Results: The median age of the 102 participants was 31 years.Among the participants, 56.9% were women; 31.4% had encountered patients with meningococcal infection during their professional life; 29.4% had sufficient knowledge about the vaccine; 89.2% stated that they would have their own children vaccinated; 95.1% thought that it should be included in the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI); and 94.1% recommended that families have their children vaccinated.There was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test mean scores of the level of knowledge about meningococcal infection and vaccines (p<0.05).Conclusion: Primary prevention is a vital aspect of family medicine.High mortality and morbidity associated with vaccine-preventable meningococcal disease, and newly developed vaccines should be emphasized in the content of the training titled "non-EPI vaccines" in the residency program.