FRENCH PHYSICIANS ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES REGARDING MEASLES, MUMPS AND RUBELLA IMMUNIZATION

Background. - Measles-mumps-rubella immunization rates among young chi ldren depend on the awareness and responsibility of parents and physic ians. In order to improve immunization programmes, it is important to enhance our knowledge about attitudes of physicians in regard to MMR i mmunization. A random sample of 1013 general practitioners was intervi ewed by telephone in December 1994, with the collaboration of the BVA Institute. The large majority of French physicians (86 %) have a favou rable opinion about MMR immunization that they systematically propose to each child aged 12-24 months. However, barriers remain among some p hysicians. Favourable opinion about MMR immunization to infants was le ss frequent among physicians aged 41-50 years, homeopaths, those pract icing in Southern France, those asking for higher payment to patients, those who are treating a small proportion of patients receiving publi c medical aid, those not convinced about the role of physicians in hea lth education, those who experienced side-effects of immunization and those who are not personnally immunized against hepatitis B. Eradicati on of measles, mumps and rubella in France will be only achieved throu gh a stronger and well-argumented information of physicians supported by health professional organizations.