Background: Despite improving trends, immunization rates among U.S. preschool children are still suboptimal. It has been recently recognized that healthcare providers play a critical role in undervaccination. Despite this fact, few reliable and validated instruments to assess immunization knowledge, attitudes, and practices have been developed for use among healthcare providers. In a cross-sectional study involving groups of 38 general pediatricians, 46 subspecialty pediatricians, 11 third-year pediatric residents, and 33 first-year pediatric and family medicine residents an instrument was developed to evaluate provider knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

Methods: A questionnaire was developed encompassing 5 scales related to immunization: knowledge, vested interest, self-efficacy, attitudes, and perceived barriers. This questionnaire was administered to generalists, pediatric subspecialists, and primary care residents. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, point-biseral correlation, and an alpha reliability was computed for each scale.

Results: Our questionnaire proved to be a valid and reliable instrument to assess immunization relevant items (see table below). This instrument effectively differentiates generalists from specialists and senior residents from interns.

Table 1 No caption available.
Full size table

Conclusion: The scales provide reliable and valid measures of factors demonstrated to affect immunization practices among physicians. This instrument can be used to plan and evaluate educational and organizational interventions aimed at improving immunization rates.