Primary Health-Care Staff Barriers to Immunization

BACKGROUND: Missed opportunities for immunization (MOI) is considered as the most important preventable reason for underimmunization. Health-care workers stand beyond more than half the children's missed opportunities due to gaps in their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding immunization. OBJECTIVES: This study assessed immunization staff at primary health-care centers in Baghdad/Al-Karkh for KAP that may lead to MOI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: KAP survey was conducted on field immunization service providers at primary health-care centers in Baghdad/Al-Karkh. Barriers are considered to present whenever scores found <80 in any of KAP. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire analyzed by SPSS 24. RESULTS: Among 217 respondent health professionals, 69 (31.8%) were physicians and 148 (68.2%) were nurses. The studied sample got mean scores for KAP of 84.7 ± 11.4, 71.1 ± 22.7, and 74.8 ± 20.3, respectively. Physicians had higher mean knowledge score compared to nurses (P < 0.05). Both physicians and nurses got mean scores below 80 for both attitudes and practices. CONCLUSION: Attitudes and practices in both physicians and nurses need to be improved to avoid MOI.