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

Helena C. Maltezou, Christos Rahiotis, Maria Tseroni, Phoebus Madianos and Ioannis Tzoutzas
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Helena C. Maltezou: Directorate of Research, Studies and Documentation, National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
Christos Rahiotis: School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Maria Tseroni: Directorate of Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases, National Public Health Organization, 15123 Athens, Greece
Phoebus Madianos: School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Ioannis Tzoutzas: School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-9

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: vaccination; immunization; coverage; dental school; dental students; immunity; susceptibility; mandatory vaccination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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