Low post-liver transplant vaccine awareness: analysis and educational strategy

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate patients’ and healthcare professionals’ knowledge about vaccination protocols in post-liver transplantation before and after applying an educational awareness strategy in this population.

Methods

Patients (n=124) underwent the educational intervention through access to a webpage containing educational videos and, for health professionals (n=111), through a symposium and access to information on the project’s virtual page. To analyze the effect of the intervention, qualitative analyses of knowledge were carried out using questionnaires before and after the interventions.

Results

Among patients, males were predominant (66.9%) and the mean age was 55.2 years old (SD + 15.9). 82.2% of patients visited a UBS to be vaccinated and 13.7% of them the CRIEs (Reference Center for Special Immunobiologicals). Only 46.7% received orientation about vaccines after liver transplantation. From the 111 questionnaires answered by health professionals, 46.5% did not check the vaccine portfolio, 61.3% referred patients to UBS and 38.7% to a CRIE. In the post-intervention analysis, 66.1% of patients watched educational videos about vaccination. Of these, 62.2% said they had improved their understanding about vaccines and 91.4% feel safer to vaccinate. After the educational intervention, 45 health professionals answered the questionnaire. 30.4% said they knew which vaccines to prescribe, and 67.4% recommended vaccines to patients’ relatives.

Conclusion

The proposed educational strategy applied in this study shown to increase awareness regarding the post-liver transplant immunization protocols. This may contribute to avoiding the potential risk of lack of information and failure to address vaccination by healthcare professionals.

Liver transplantation; Postoperative period; Vaccination; Immunization; Protocol