Table 1 Responses to selected knowledge questions including comparison of response by program.
From: THE VAXED PROJECT: An Assessment of Immunization Education in Canadian Health Professional Programs
| Â | All programs (%) | Nursing 1 (%) | Nursing 2 (%) | Medicine (%) | Pharmacy (%) | Association with program (p-value) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mild illness, with fever, is a reason to withhold vaccination | ||||||
*False | 71 (49.0) | 14 (25.5) | 2 (8.3) | 17 (81.0) | 38 (84.4) | Â |
True | 65 (44.8) | 34 (61.8) | 21 (87.5) | 4 (19.0) | 6 (13.3) | < .001 |
Don't Know | 9 (6.2) | 7 (12.7) | 1 (4.2) | 0 | 1 (2.2) | Â |
Giving multiple vaccines at the same time can overload the immune system | ||||||
*False | 118 (80.3) | 39 (68.4) | 14 (58.3) | 21 (100) | 44 (97.8) | Â |
True | 18 (12.2) | 11 (19.3) | 7 (29.2) | 0 | 0 | < .001 |
Don't Know | 11 (7.5) | 7 (12.3) | 3 (12.5) | 0 | 1 (2.2) | Â |
Pneumococcal vaccination is contraindicated for asplenic patients | ||||||
*False | 58 (39.5) | 12 (21.1) | 7 (29.2) | 16 (76.2) | 23 (51.1) | Â |
True | 15 (10.2) | 7 (12.3) | 2 (8.3) | 3 (14.3) | 3 (6.7) | < .001 |
Don't Know | 74 (50.3) | 38 (66.6) | 15 (62.5) | 2 (9.5) | 19 (42.2) | Â |
Varicella vaccine can prevent chicken pox or reduce the severity of the disease if given within 3-5 days of exposure | ||||||
False | 46 (31.3) | 12 (21.1) | 14 (58.3) | 11 (52.4) | 9 (20.0) | Â |
*True | 60 (40.8) | 22 (38.6) | 5 (20.8) | 4 (19.1) | 29 (64.4) | < .001 |
Don't Know | 41 (27.9) | 23 (40.3) | 5 (20.8) | 6 (28.5) | 7 (15.6) | Â |
Children who have had culture positive pertussis disease should not receive pertussis-containing vaccines | ||||||
*False | 40 (27.4) | 8 (14.0) | 8 (34.8) | 13 (61.9) | 11 (24.4) | Â |
True | 33 (22.6) | 18 (31.6) | 7 (30.4) | 2 (9.5) | 6 (13.3) | < .001 |
Don't Know | 73 (50.0) | 31 (54.4) | 8 (34.8) | 6 (28.6) | 28 (62.2) | Â |
Routine childhood vaccines can be given to a child taking antibiotics for an ear infection | ||||||
False | 37 (25.2) | 15 (26.3) | 12 (50.0) | 6 (28.6) | 4 (8.9) | Â |
*True | 82 (55.8) | 23 (40.4) | 7 (29.2) | 14 (66.7) | 38 (84.4) | < .001 |
Don't Know | 28 (19.0) | 19 (33.3) | 5 (20.8) | 1 (4.8) | 3 (6.7) | Â |
Prior egg ingestion is a prerequisite for immunization with measles, mumps and rubella | ||||||
*False | 77 (52.4) | 25 (43.9) | 7 (29.2) | 16 (76.2) | 29 (64.4) | Â |
True | 43 (29.3) | 17 (29.8) | 14 (58.3) | 3 (14.3) | 9 (20.00) | .003 |
Don't Know | 27 (18.3) | 15 (26.3) | 3 (12.5) | 2 (9.5) | 7 (15.6) | Â |
Pertussis vaccine can cause sudden infant death syndrome | ||||||
*False | 98 (67.1) | 33 (58.9) | 14 (58.3) | 20 (95.3) | 31 (68.9) | Â |
True | 7 (4.8) | 3 (5.4) | 1 (4.2) | 0 | 3 (6.7) | .009 |
Don't Know | 41 (28.1) | 20 (35.7) | 9 (37.5) | 1 (4.7) | 11 (24.4) | Â |
Current scientific evidence supports associations between vaccines and chronic conditions such as autism and multiple sclerosis | ||||||
*False | 114 (77.6) | 37 (64.9) | 13 (54.2) | 21 (100) | 43 (95.6) | Â |
True | 17 (11.6) | 10 (17.5) | 6 (25.00) | 0 | 1 (2.2) | < .001 |
Don't Know | 16 (10.8) | 10 (17.5) | 5 (20.8) | 0 | 1 (2.2) | Â |