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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Research article

Compliance with herpes zoster vaccination in young and adult individuals in two regions of Italy

Authors: Antonino Parlato, Vincenzo Romano Spica, Massimo Ciccozzi, Francesca Farchi, Francesca Gallè, Valeria Di Onofrio, Elisabetta Franco, Giorgio Liguori

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Background

The purpose of this work was to explore the knowledge and acceptance of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV)-Herpes Zoster (HZ) vaccination in the general Italian population, where the HZ vaccine has not yet been distributed, using a prevalence study of subjects from two regions in Italy.

Methods

A group of 3,173 individuals were interviewed using a questionnaire. The youngest age group (≤ 20 year) was composed of students interviewed at university. The middle age group (21-40 years) and the older age group (≥ 41 years) were interviewed by general practitioners in their office.

Results

In both regions, the majority of subjects had been infected with varicella, and only 165 (5.2%) subjects reported receiving the VZV vaccination. Regarding HZ, 2,749 (86.6%) individuals stated that they knew of the virus and 2,233 (70%) were willing to be vaccinated against HZ. The majority of people willing to be vaccinated were in the middle and older age groups (36.6% and 44.7%, respectively).

Conclusion

Compliance versus vaccination results were satisfactory and probably, with the upcoming availability of the HZ vaccine in Italy, adults will be favourably disposed towards vaccination.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Compliance with herpes zoster vaccination in young and adult individuals in two regions of Italy
Authors
Antonino Parlato
Vincenzo Romano Spica
Massimo Ciccozzi
Francesca Farchi
Francesca Gallè
Valeria Di Onofrio
Elisabetta Franco
Giorgio Liguori
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-333

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