Biomaterial Database

Primary care physicians' knowledge about diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis immunizations in preterm infants. 1992

D L Langkamp, and R Langhough

Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Preterm infants often receive their diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) immunizations on a delayed schedule or in reduced dosage. Since primary care physicians (PCPs) immunize many preterm infants, the purpose of this study was to describe PCPs' knowledge about the use of DTP immunizations in preterm infants. Among the 479 PCPs who completed the questionnaire, 84% of pediatricians and 60% of family physicians correctly identified chronologic age as a criterion for initiating DTP immunizations in preterm infants. However, nearly 45% of PCPs linked this with other criteria such as a minimum weight requirement. Family physicians' answers differed from the recommendations more often than pediatricians' answers. The answers of pediatricians and family physicians who completed residency greater than 20 years ago differed from the recommendations more often than those who completed training less than or equal to 20 years ago. The answers of PCPs with fewer than five preterm infants in their practices differed from the recommendations more frequently than the answers of those with five or more preterm infants in their practices. Educational interventions are needed to bring PCPs' knowledge and practices into compliance with the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations concerning DTP immunizations for preterm infants.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007115	Immunization Schedule	Schedule giving optimum times usually for primary and/or secondary immunization.	Immunization Schedules,Schedule, Immunization,Schedules, Immunization
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007234	Infant, Premature	A human infant born before 37 weeks of GESTATION.	Neonatal Prematurity,Premature Infants,Preterm Infants,Infant, Preterm,Infants, Premature,Infants, Preterm,Premature Infant,Prematurity, Neonatal,Preterm Infant
D007235	Infant, Premature, Diseases	Diseases that occur in PREMATURE INFANTS.
D007722	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	Knowledge, attitudes, and associated behaviors which pertain to health-related topics such as PATHOLOGIC PROCESSES or diseases, their prevention, and treatment. This term refers to non-health workers and health workers (HEALTH PERSONNEL).	Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
D010372	Pediatrics	A medical specialty concerned with maintaining health and providing medical care to children from birth to adolescence.
D010818	Practice Patterns, Physicians'	Patterns of practice related to diagnosis and treatment as especially influenced by cost of the service requested and provided.	Clinical Practice Patterns,Physician's Practice Patterns,Clinical Practice Pattern,Pattern, Clinical Practice,Patterns, Clinical Practice,Practice Pattern, Clinical,Practice Patterns, Clinical,Practice Patterns, Physician's,Prescribing Patterns, Physician,Physician Practice Patterns,Physician Prescribing Pattern,Physician Prescribing Patterns,Physician's Practice Pattern,Physicians' Practice Pattern,Physicians' Practice Patterns,Practice Pattern, Physician's,Practice Pattern, Physicians',Practice Patterns, Physician,Prescribing Pattern, Physician
D010821	Physicians, Family	Those physicians who have completed the education requirements specified by the American Academy of Family Physicians.	Family Physician,Family Physicians,Physician, Family
D012044	Regression Analysis	Procedures for finding the mathematical function which best describes the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. In linear regression (see LINEAR MODELS) the relationship is constrained to be a straight line and LEAST-SQUARES ANALYSIS is used to determine the best fit. In logistic regression (see LOGISTIC MODELS) the dependent variable is qualitative rather than continuously variable and LIKELIHOOD FUNCTIONS are used to find the best relationship. In multiple regression, the dependent variable is considered to depend on more than a single independent variable.	Regression Diagnostics,Statistical Regression,Analysis, Regression,Analyses, Regression,Diagnostics, Regression,Regression Analyses,Regression, Statistical,Regressions, Statistical,Statistical Regressions
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body