The attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge of healthcare professionals towards the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of bacterial meningitis in Turkey

Figures & data

Table 1. Percentage of ordering CCT before LP among physicians.

CCT before LP	PAS Group (n = 171)	APS Group (n = 168)	Total (n = 339)
<10%	n = 47 (27.5%)*	n = 12 (7%)	n = 59 (17.4%)
10–25%	n = 16 (9%)	n = 2 (1%)	n = 18 (5.3%)
25–50%	n = 25 (15%)	n = 13 (8%)	n = 38 (11.2%)
50–75%	n = 36 (21%)	n = 20 (12%)	n = 56 (16.5%)
75–100%	n = 47 (27.5%)	n = 121 (72%)*	n = 168 (49.6%)

*p < 0.05; PAS group vs. APS group.

Table 2. First-line antibiotic choice of physicians for meningococcal meningitis and pneumococcal meningitis.

	Penicillin	Third-generation cephalosporins	Third-generation cephalosporins + glycopeptide	Other
Meningococcal meningitis	13.2%	72.5%	2.9%	11.5%
TOTAL	(n = 45)	(n = 246)	(n = 10)	(n = 38)
Meningococcal meningitis	15.2%	63.1%	4%	17.5%
PAS group	(n = 26)	(n = 108)	(n = 7)	(n = 30)
Meningococcal meningitis	11.3%	82.1%	1.7%	4.7%
APS group	(n = 19)	(n = 138)	(n = 3)	(n = 8)
Pneumococcal meningitis	2.0%	29.7%	50.1%	20.6%
TOTAL	(n = 7)	(n = 101)	(n = 170)	(n = 61)
Pneumococcal meningitis	2.3%	25.1%	41.5%	30.9%
PAS group	(n = 4)	(n = 43)	(n = 71)	(n = 53)
Pneumococcal meningitis	1.7%	34.5%	58.9%	4.7%
APS group	(n = 3)	(n = 58)	(n = 99)	(n = 8)

Table 3. Duration of antibiotic treatment preference for meningococcal meningitis and pneumococcal meningitis.

	7 days	10 days	14 days	21 days	Other
Meningococcal meningitis	32.7%	26.2%	28.9%	9.1%	2.9%
TOTAL	(n = 111)	(n = 89)	(n = 98)	(n = 31)	(n = 10)
Meningococcal meningitis	30.9%	27.4%	26.3%	13.4%	1.7%
PAS group	(n = 53)	(n = 47)	(n = 45)	(n = 23)	(n = 3)
Meningococcal meningitis	34.5%	25%	31.5%	4.7%	4.1%
APS group	(n = 58)	(n = 42)	(n = 53)	(n = 8)	(n = 7)
Pneumococcal meningitis	2.3%	24.1%	64.3%	7.6%	1.4%
TOTAL	(n = 8)	(n = 82)	(n = 218)	(n = 26)	(n = 5)
Pneumococcal meningitis	2.3%	28.0%	59.0%	9.9%	0.58%
PAS group	(n = 4)	(n = 48)	(n = 101)	(n = 17)	(n = 1)
Pneumococcal meningitis	2.3%	20.2%	69.6%	5.3%	2.3%
APS group	(n = 4)	(n = 34)	(n = 117)	(n = 9)	(n = 4)

Table 4. Ten risk groups who are recommended for routine meningococcal vaccines.

	PAS Group (n = 171)	APS Group (n = 168)	Total (n = 339)
1	All children	Asplenia/splenectomy patients	All children
	16.3%	16.8%	14.4%
2	Children < 2 years of age	Immunodeficient patients	Asplenia/splenectomy patients
	5.8%	13.0%	9.7%
3	Children < 1 year of age	All children	Immunodeficient patients
	5.8%	8.9%	9.7%
4	Adolescents	Travel to endemic areas, Hajj/Umrah	Travel to endemic areas, Hajj/Umrah
	5.8%	8.3%	6.7%
5	Asplenia/splenectomy patients	Dormitory	Military service
	5.2%	6.5%	3.8%
6	Children < 5 years of age	Military service	Children < 5 years of age
	5.2%	5.9%	3.5%
7	Travel to endemic areas, Hajj/Umrah	Nursing home*	Children < 2 years of age
	4.6%	4.7%	3.5%
8	Immunodeficient patients	> 65 years of age	Children < 1 year of age
	4.0%	4.1%	3.2%
9	All age groups	Healthcare professionals	Dormitory
	4.0%	2.9%	3.2%
10	Healthcare professionals	HIV	Adolescents
	2.9%	2.3%	2.9%