4 / 12
Page 26
Journal of Clinical Immunology and Allergy
ISSN: 2471-304X
E u r o p e a n C o n g r e s s o n
Vaccines & Vaccination
and Gynecologic Oncology
Vaccines & Vaccination and Gynecologic Oncology 2018
O c t o b e r 2 6 - 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
B u d a p e s t , H u n g a r y
Biography
George Kamkamidze, MD, PhD, MS is the Full time professor
at the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases,
University of Georgia and the Head of Research Department,
Health Research Union, Tbilisi, Georgia. He got his MD and PhD
from the Tbilisi State Medical University and the MS in Biom-
etry and Statistics from the Albany School of Public Health,
SUNY, Albany, NY. He was also a Post-doctoral fellow at the
Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research, Albany, NY
and at the Laboratory of Immunology, Hospitals Group Pitie-Sal-
petriere, Paris, France. His research interest is focused on the
immunology and immunogenetic aspects of HIV/AIDS, viral
hepatitis and other persistent viral infections. He has published
more than 50 papers in peer-reviewed journals.
georgekamkamidze@gmail.comBarriers to vaccination for vaccine-preventable infections:
Georgia experience
George Kamkamidze
1,2
and Maia Butsashvili
1,2
1
Health Research Union and Clinic NeoLab, Georgia
2
University of Georgia, Georgia
George Kamkamidze et al., Journal of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Volume: 4
DOI: 10.21767/2471-304X-C2-005
S
everal studies have been done in recent years in Georgia to study barriers to
vaccination for vaccine-preventable infections. In one of such studies, 278
obstetrician-gynaecologists in 8 cities in the country of Georgia were investigated
on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to influenza vaccination during
pregnancy. Most physicians perceived influenza to be a serious infectious disease
(88%) and that pregnant women are more susceptible to it than the general
population. Only 43% of physicians reported recommending influenza vaccination
during pregnancy; 18% reported vaccinating any pregnant patients during the
last influenza season. Most (75%) physicians reported a perception that there is
insufficient evidence supporting influenza vaccination during pregnancy. Most
(93%) were receptive to receiving additional education on maternal vaccination.
Another cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered written
surveyof 288physicianspracticing in7healthcare institutions inTbilisi, Rustavi and
Batumi, Georgia. Data were collected on demographics, conduct of and perceived
barriers to Pap smear testing, knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccination. Only
48% of physicians actively offered the HPV vaccine, although most physicians
were receptive to increased education and training about HPV and cervical
cancer. Another study focused on the prevalence and awareness of hepatitis B
and hepatitis B vaccine was conducted among randomly selected physicians and
nurse employed in seven hospitals in Georgia. Of the 1328 participants included
in this analysis, 36% reported recommending against hepatitis B vaccination
for children, including 33% of paediatricians. Among the 70.6% who provided a
reason for not recommending HBV vaccine, the most common concern was an
adverse vaccine event. Unvaccinated physicians and nurses were more likely
to recommend against HBV vaccine. Additionally, health care worker age was
inversely correlated with recommendations for HBV vaccine with older workers
less likely to recommend it.
Euro Vaccines 2018