P363 The undergraduate education about vaccination and vaccine hesitancy

Background We are witnessing the modern paradox about vaccinations and vaccines. Vaccinations are the best method to deal with, eliminate and eradicate preventable diseases. It’s natural that the view on vaccines is different according to parents, doctors and media. As pediatricians, we always use the Convention of childrens’ rights as the basis of our medical advice. Aim In cross-sectional study was analysed the experience in undergraduate education about vaccination among 758 students of medicine from 1 st to 6 th year, at the University of Split School of medicine. Results Only 33% of medical students believe that they are given sufficient information on vaccination and vaccines during their regular under-graduate studies. It is absurd that 40% of Croatian medical students, as future educators and promoters of vaccination, are being educated from professionally and scientifically unsubstantiated sources. Discussion The health culture of prevention of disease by vaccination is a reflection of the enlightenment of the population, the accessibility of the health care system, and the development of society. An effort is made to include the vaccination programme, as a complex medical intervention, in the regular health care system. Vaccines are still not sufficiently available in underdeveloped countries due to poverty. At the same time, despite the obvious benefits of vaccination, especially in developed countries, there has been a noticeable rise in vaccine hesitancy. With the fall in the number of vaccinated people on a global, national, regional and local level, the risk is growing of epidemics breaking out once again of illness which until recently were in the phase of elimination. Conclusion Evidence based education, especially the experience and attitudes of all health professionals, as potential educators of the population, is the foundation for successful vaccination. The responsibility of doctors for the implementation of vaccination programmes is great, regardless whether they are directly involved in their realization or not. For the sake of better preparation of future doctors for clinical practice and public health, it is vital to strengthen the quality in undergraduate education about vaccinationin order to overcome the problem of vaccine hesitancy.