Damage from that bogus vaccine/autism paper continues

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23169402

J Public Health Manag Pract. 2013 Jan;19(1):40-46.

Communicating About Vaccines and Vaccine Safety: What Are Medical Residents Learning and What Do They Want to Learn?

Sarnquist C, Sawyer M, Calvin K, Mason W, Blumberg D, Luther J, Maldonado Y.

Source

Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (Drs Sarnquist and Maldonado); Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla (Dr Sawyer); American Academy of Pediatrics-California Region IX, Pasadena, California (Ms Kalvin); Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (Dr Mason); Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis Children's Hospital, Sacramento, California (Dr Blumberg); and Family Medicine Residency Program, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, California (Dr Luther).

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:: Physicians spend significant amounts of time discussing vaccine safety concerns with patients and parents. This study aimed to better understand the educational needs of US residents regarding vaccine safety communication, primarily by quantifying the vaccine safetycommunication training that residents currently receive and elucidating residents' preferences around education about vaccines and vaccine safetycommunication. 

DESIGN:: A mixed-methods needs assessment consisting of focus groups and a survey. 

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS:: A convenience sample of 303 medical residents in pediatrics, family medicine, and internal medicine from across the United States participated in an online, anonymous survey from March through June 2010. In addition, 9 focus groups with 47 resident participants were held. 

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES/RESULTS:: The sample included residents in pediatrics (239, 80.2%), internal or family medicine (30, 10.1%), and dual medicine-pediatrics (29, 9.7%); 20.6% of the residents reported "not learning" about vaccine safety communication in their residency programs. Preferred learning methods, which were also the most commonly used methods, included didactic lectures and role-modeling/cases. Electronic teaching method were not only less desired but also very rarely utilized. More than 95% of residents reported thinking that vaccine safety communication would be very or somewhat important in their careers. 

CONCLUSIONS:: Improving education on vaccine safety communication within US residency programs, as well as offering self-learning opportunities, can better prepare physicians for their careers.