Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) surveys are important tools used to evaluate individuals’ understanding, beliefs, and behaviors regarding specific topics. At the Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives (PIVI) we support KAP studies to serve as a baseline for evaluating intervention effectiveness over time, allowing for tailored strategies for improvement, predicting health outcomes, and supporting policy development. Given the potential influence of COVID-19 vaccination campaigns on attitudes towards vaccinations in general, it is critical to understand shifts in behavior for informing future vaccination campaigns and public health strategies.
KAP studies supported by PIVI are taking place in nine countries and will result in a global dataset to understand health workers’ (HW) knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, providing valuable insights into vaccination behaviors on a global scale. Previous KAP studies on HWs for influenza highlighted important findings to support the fine-tuning of influenza vaccination programs. Similarly, these health worker-focused KAPs for both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines will help identify knowledge gaps, training needs, and barriers to vaccination uptake among HWs, enabling the development of tailored educational interventions to address deficiencies and promote positive practices. By understanding factors influencing HWs’ healthcare behaviors, interventions can be designed effectively to support evidence-based decision-making, enhance care quality, and improve population health outcomes.
Notably, this global study of nine countries will be very important for learning about the interplay between influenza vaccination before the COVID-19 pandemic and the knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards both vaccines post-pandemic. Leveraging these insights will allow countries to continue to strengthen their vaccine programs, protect more people, and may lead to important lessons learned to support readiness for the next pandemic.
Previous HW KAP studies supported by PIVI: