Lyme Disease Knowledge, Practices, and Vaccine Acceptability Among Nurse Practitioners in Pediatric Practice

Abstract

Lyme disease (LD) is a major public health problem in the United States. Given its incidence and geographic expansion, nurse practitioners (NPs) will likely encounter patients with this condition. NPs were invited to participate in an electronic survey via email, newsletter, and social media posts. The 31-question survey collected information on provider characteristics, clinical scenario decisions, resources used, and vaccine sentiment for LD. Survey participants (n=606) were primarily cisgender female (75%) and aged 30-49 years (62%). Responding to six hypothetical clinical scenarios, only 31% of participants answered most questions correctly. If an LD vaccine becomes available, 39% said they would incorporate it into practice; 48% would seek further information before deciding. Additional education on LD prevention, diagnosis, and treatment is needed for NPs. Increasing provider awareness of current guidelines and developing tailored resources for NPs may improve patient care.