Assessment of Knowledge, Facilitators and Barriers of Pneumococcal Vaccination: A Cross-sectional Study Among Diabetologists in India

Asia has the highest burden with the largest contribution of pneumonia burden from India. Pneumonia is also observed as 5th leading cause of deaths in India. People with diabetes with uncontrolled glucose are significantly at higher risk of development of pneumonia. Even though, pneumonia is a vaccine-preventable disease, hospitalization for pneumonia of patients with diabetes are rising. Very limited literature is available on the knowledge and practice of pneumonia vaccination among diabetologists and the rate of pneumonia vaccination received by the patients with diabetes. Hence this study aims to assess their knowledge on the same. In addition, this study also aims to identify the real barriers and facilitators of pneumococcal vaccination among diabetologists in India. A cross-sectional study will be conducted among 25diabetologists in each of the four zones in India representing all directions - North, East, West and South. Diabetologists will be selected through purposive sampling. A semi-structured questionnaire (study tool) is designed based on the existing literature that addresses our objectives. An education session on Pneumococcal vaccination will be conducted for the diabetologists through webinar after completing the survey. A post assessment will be done using the same questionnaire among the study participants after the education session in order to see an increase in the knowledge of pneumococcal vaccination.