Perception, Awareness, and Acceptance of Human Papillomavirus Disease and Vaccine Among Parents of Boys Aged 9 to 18 Years.

Male human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates remain very low. The study objective was to gain an understanding of the perceptions of HPV disease and acceptance/barriers to HPV vaccine by parents of boys aged 9 to 18 years. An anonymous, written survey was administered from January 1, 2011 to September 30, 2013 in private pediatric offices (PPOs) and public health clinics (PHCs) in Chicago, Illinois.

Pertussis, a disease whose time has come: what can be done to control the problem?

In the United States, major epidemics of pertussis or whooping cough have occurred in the last 5 years making this disease a major public health issue. The adolescent and adult populations are the major transmitters of disease to the community. However, these epidemics have had the greatest effect on the young infant population resulting in high rates of hospitalizations and complications and accounting for 100% of the mortality.

Awareness, perceptions and knowledge of recommended adult vaccines among a nationwide sample of adult primary care providers.

Objective: To examine the awareness, knowledge, barriers to usage and acceptance of recommended adult vaccines among obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) compared to other adult primary care providers (APCPs).

Study Design: A self-administered survey was sent to 1,000 OB/GYN, 1,000 family practice and 1,000 internal medicine physicians nationwide.

Results: Of 3,000 mailed surveys, 733 (24.

Pertussis and patient safety: implementing Tdap vaccine recommendations in hospitals.

Background: Despite the availability of pediatric vaccines against pertussis ("whooping cough"), the disease is poorly controlled. Adolescents and adults with waning immunity, especially immediate family members, are responsible for 76%-83% of pertussis transmission to infants. Adolescent/adult tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) booster vaccines were licensed in the United States in 2005, but their use has been low and hospitals' implementation of immunization recommendations suboptimal.

Pertussis disease in new mothers: effect on young infants and strategies for prevention.

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a major public health problem in the United States, with the incidence of disease and its associated complications having significantly increased in the adolescent and adult populations. These populations serve as the major transmission source of the disease to young infants, a group that is at the highest risk of severe morbidity and mortality from the disease. Studies have shown that new parents, especially mothers, are the source of disease transmission in more than 50% of the cases.