pneumococcal disease;vaccination

The authors carried out a survey in outpatient and hospitalised patients with risk factors for invasive pneumococcal disease in a tertiary-care medical faculty affiliated hospital. Data were collected by individual interviews and verified against the medical records of all addressed patients. The authors also attempted to discover the attitude of general practitioners (GPs) from 2 Slovak districts towards the pneumococcal vaccine by means of an anonymous questionnaire. Out of the total of 154 addressed patients, 128 (83.1%) had at least one risk factor for acquiring invasive pneumococcal disease. The main role in increasing the disturbingly low pneumococcal vaccination coverage lies in the hands of medical professionals, especially GPs who should inform their patients about the possibility of a free vaccine and who should make an effort to explain to their patients the benefit of pneumococcal vaccination.

The authors carried out a survey in outpatient and hospitalised patients with risk factors for invasive pneumococcal disease in a tertiary-care medical faculty affiliated hospital. Data were collected by individual interviews and verified against the medical records of all addressed patients. The authors also attempted to discover the attitude of general practitioners (GPs) from 2 Slovak districts towards the pneumococcal vaccine by means of an anonymous questionnaire. Out of the total of 154 addressed patients, 128 (83.1%) had at least one risk factor for acquiring invasive pneumococcal disease. The main role in increasing the disturbingly low pneumococcal vaccination coverage lies in the hands of medical professionals, especially GPs who should inform their patients about the possibility of a free vaccine and who should make an effort to explain to their patients the benefit of pneumococcal vaccination.