The questionnaire contained questions regarding the respondents'information, including their gender, years in practice, clinical specialty,and source of knowledge on immunization practices. The questionnaire mainly contained three sections: knowledge of vaccinations for hepatitis A virus (HAV), HBV, and varicella; current vaccination practices for the IBD group; and reasons for not recommending these vaccinations to patients with IBD. The questionnaire composed of 13 items specifically on the three vaccinations mentioned above for immunosuppressed patients with IBD. All questions were conducted based on recognized guidelines and were reviewed by 18 IBD experts. The questionnaire captured the frequency with which the respondents assessed patients with IBD for anti-HAV/hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core antibody, and hepatitis B surface antibody/ anti-HAV levels, and acquired infection and immunization histories. Whether the respondents recommended these three vaccines to the IBD group before treatment was also elicited.
The aim of the current study was to evaluate the knowledge of Chinese gastroenterologists on vaccinating patients with IBD under the assistance of Chinese Crohn's & Colitis Foundation. The Chinese Crohn's & Colitis Foundation (CCCF) is the first nonprofit,volunteer-driven foundation specifically for patients with IBD in China.It has been joined by IBD specialists at various hospitals in China.