Creating an Italian Questionnaire to Measure Awareness and Knowledge of Infection Prevention and Vaccination in Patients Without a Spleen Using Expert Consensus

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to develop an Italian-language questionnaire to assess awareness, knowledge of infection prevention strategies, and vaccination attitudes among people without a functioning spleen, known as splenectomized individuals. These individuals face a lifelong higher risk of serious infections, especially from certain bacteria. The study uses a structured Delphi consensus method involving healthcare professionals experienced in infection prevention and vaccination to create and validate the questionnaire. The study involves a multidisciplinary panel of healthcare experts who will participate in two online Delphi rounds. In these rounds, they will review and rate draft questions for relevance and clarity. Questions that meet specific agreement standards will be kept and refined to form the final questionnaire. This approach ensures the tool reflects expert consensus and will support future research on preventive care and vaccination in splenectomized patients. Participants in the study are healthcare professionals who will complete the Delphi rounds online. The study does not involve patients directly and carries minimal risk since participation is voluntary and anonymous. The main outcome is the creation of a consensus-based questionnaire to measure awareness and attitudes about infection prevention and vaccination among splenectomized individuals. The study is planned to be completed within four months after starting in January 2026.

Development of an Italian Questionnaire for Splenectomized Patients Using a Delphi Consensus Method