[Survey about the perception of the gastroenteritis and the infection due to rotavirus by the mothers in France].

AIM

To describe the perception of the acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and the interest for the vaccination of the AGE due to Rotavirus.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Observational investigation realized by phone by the IPSOS institute, with 1002 French women of 18 years and more, constituting a representative national sample, having at least a child below 2 years, between 7 and January 31st, 2008.

RESULTS

AGE is mainly considered by the mothers questioned as a grave pathology (43.1%) or very grave (51.3%) for the children below 2 years. This perception is bound to the symptoms and to the complications known for the disease. For the questioned mothers, the AGE comes along very often or often with diarrheas (97.2%), vomits (94.3%) or dehydration (94%). Hospitalizations are also perceived as frequent. The quasi-totality of the questioned women (98.3%) considers finally that it is about a very contagious disease (75.4%) or rather contagious (22.8%). The AGE at the child below 2 years provoke very frequently a medical consultation (91.8%), during which some solutions of oral rehydration are prescribed in six cases on 10 (62%). The questioned mothers are for the greater part favorable (86.3%) to a drinkable vaccine to prevent the AGE due to Rotavirus, and 88.1% say that they would intend to protect their child with this vaccine.

CONCLUSION

The questioned mothers know the potential gravity of the AGE and a very wide majority of them (86.3%) declare themselves favorable to the prevention of the AGE at Rotavirus by the vaccination.