Table 4 Knowledge of physicians about varicella zoster virus (VZV)
Pediatricians (N = 90) | GPs (N = 60) | Total (N = 150) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Questionnaire Item | N | % [95% CI] | N | % [95% CI] | N | % | p-value* |
In general, you will get varicella only once in your lifetime | |||||||
Right (correct answer) | 84 | 93.3% [88.2–98.5] | 46 | 76.7% [65.9–87.4] | 130 | 86.7% | 0.003 |
Wrong | 5 | 5.6% [0.8–10.3] | 14 | 23.3% [12.6–34.0] | 19 | 12.7% | |
Don’t know | 1 | 1.1% | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.7% | |
The main transmission path of varicella is a contact with fresh varicella blisters | |||||||
Right (correct answer) | 49 | 54.4% [44.2–64.7] | 39 | 65.0% [52.9–77.1] | 88 | 58.7% | 0.135 |
Wrong | 41 | 45.6% [35.3–55.9] | 20 | 33.3% [21.4–45.3] | 61 | 40.7% | |
Don’t know | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1.7% | 1 | 0.7% | |
Some potential complications of varicella require the use of antibiotics | |||||||
Right (correct answer) | 80 | 88.9% [82.4–95.4] | 41 | 68.3% [56.6–80.1] | 121 | 80.7% | 0.002 |
Wrong | 8 | 8.9% [3.0–14.8] | 13 | 21.7% [11.2–32.1] | 21 | 14.0% | |
Don’t know | 2 | 2.2% | 6 | 10.0% | 8 | 5.3% | |
You can only get herpes zoster if you had a varicella infection | |||||||
Right (correct answer) | 72 | 80.0% [71.7–88.3] | 36 | 60.0% [47.6–72.4] | 108 | 72.0% | 0.008 |
Wrong | 16 | 17.8% [9.9–25.7] | 20 | 33.3% [21.4–45.3] | 36 | 24.0% | |
Don’t know | 2 | 2.2% | 4 | 6.7% | 6 | 4.0% | |
Currently, what is the hospitalization rate due to varicella in children up to the age of 16 years in Switzerland? | |||||||
0.1 per 10′000 cases | 12 | 13.3% [6.3–20.4] | 11 | 18.3% [8.5–28.1] | 23 | 15.3% | |
1 per 10′000 cases | 35 | 38.9% [28.8–48.9] | 34 | 56.7% [44.1–69.2] | 69 | 46.0% | |
10 per 10′000 cases (correct answer) | 36 | 40.0% [29.9–50.1] | 14 | 23.3% [12.6–34.0] | 50 | 33.3% | 0.034 |
100 per 10′000 cases | 7 | 7.8% [2.2–13.3] | 1 | 1.7% [−1.6–4.9] | 8 | 5.3% | |
Currently, what percentage of children in Switzerland experiences varicella before the age of 11 years? | |||||||
50% | 7 | 7.8% [2.2–13.3] | 7 | 11.7% [3.5–19.8] | 14 | 9.3% | |
75% | 46 | 51.1% [40.8–61.4] | 31 | 51.7% [39.0–64.3] | 77 | 51.3% | |
95% (correct answer) | 37 | 41.1% [30.6–51.3] | 22 | 36.7% [24.5–48.9] | 59 | 39.3% | 0.585 |
varicella knowledge score (max 6 points) - rescaled** | 0.001 | ||||||
0–2 - Limited knowledge | 4 | 4.4% | 14 | 23.3% | 18 | 12.0% | |
3–4 - Moderate knowledge | 59 | 65.6% | 38 | 63.3% | 97 | 64.7% | |
5–6 - Good knowledge | 27 | 30.0% | 8 | 13.3% | 35 | 23.3% | |