Attitudes towards vaccines and infectious disease risk among U.S. troops

Porter, Chad K.; Bowens, Michael J.; Tribble, David R.; Putnam, Shannon D.; Sanders, John W.; Riddle, Mark S.

doi:10.4161/hv.4.4.5802

Cited by 6 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Nevertheless, these data are consistent with previous findings that US military troops have concerns about the safety of pre-deployment vaccinations despite compulsory vaccination programs, [11][12][13][14] and additional research is needed on drivers of and barriers to vaccination status in a compulsory environment. Vaccinations remain a cost-effective, primary prevention strategy for protecting US troops from infectious diseases while deployed.…”

Section: ©2 0 1 1 L a N D E S B I O S C I E N C E D O N O T D I S Tsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…[11][12][13] Importantly, however, the overall self-reported vaccine coverage was higher than previous reports, with approximately only 10% reporting they had not received all pre-deployment vaccinations. This percentage is much lower than the 36% of service members who were classified as missing two or more of their required predeployment immunizations in 2003.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 63%

“…If we interpret the desire to decline as a sign of concern, then this percentage generally matches those troops who expressed concerns in previous studies on vaccine attitudes. 11,12 Similar to their counterparts, those who would decline tended not to believe that they were at risk for getting the diseases and supported statements that questioned the safety of vaccinations. Approximately 2% of subjects reported they avoided pre-deployment vaccinations, with safety and efficacy concerns appearing to be the greatest drivers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…[11][12][13][14] This study builds upon the previous work by assessing positive and negative attitudes toward all pre-deployment vaccines in conjunction with compliance, without focusing on a specific disease or vaccination.…”

Section: O N O T D I S T R I B U T Ementioning

confidence: 99%

“…15 Additionally, concerns over vaccine safety and efficacy are prevalent even when compliance is high. [11][12][13][14] A study of anthrax vaccination among 1,743 personnel deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan found that only 40.6% reported receiving the full vaccine series, with vaccine safety concerns having a significant impact. 13 A similar study showed that over 60% of respondents disagreed that the anthrax vaccine was safe.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pre-deployment vaccinations and perception of risk among US military personnel

Polak¹,

Riddle²,

Tribble³

et al. 2011

Human Vaccines

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IntroductionAlthough vaccination programs in the general population have dramatically reduced morbidity and mortality associated with certain infectious diseases, public attitudes toward immunization programs have at times been contentious. 1 For example, in the past decade, research linking the onset of autism to receipt of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine has reduced vaccination rates for children in the US and Europe, leading to outbreaks of preventable disease.2,3 The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has not gained widespread acceptance for girls and young women due, in part, to the social implications of sexual promiscuity or increased risky behavior as well as unrealized safety concerns. 4,5 By early 2010, only approximately 25% of the US population had received the influenza A(H1N1) vaccine despite strong recommendations for the majority of the population by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.6 A lack of a perceived disease risk as well as concerns over vaccine safety and efficacy are thought to be the drivers behind the sub-optimal vaccination rates. [7][8][9] Vaccine safety concerns and relatively low vaccination Background: Vaccination programs have significantly reduced the incidence of numerous infectious diseases; however, public attitudes toward immunization oftentimes remain contentious. concerns over vaccine safety and effectiveness, compounded with reduced perceived risk of disease, influence decision making and frequently override public health recommendations. although vaccinations are compulsory for Us military personnel, their concerns mirror the general population, resulting in sub-optimal coverage. Results: Demographics of the 1,757 respondents: 83.3% male, 71.1% army, 87.5% enlisted, mean age of 29.2 years (standard deviation: 8.3). The majority (89.3%) reported receiving all pre-deployment vaccines; 17.1% stated they would decline if given the opportunity. Factors associated with an increased likelihood of declining vaccines included a perception that the vaccines were not safe [odds ratio (OR): 3.7; p < 0.001] and rarely/never believing information from the military command (OR: 2.2; p < 0.001). Those with a perceived risk for the diseases targeted by the vaccines were less likely to decline (OR: 0.6; p < 0.001).Discussion: In Us military personnel, negative perceptions of pre-deployment vaccines exist. These attitudes appear to be associated with negative perceptions of vaccine safety and low perceived disease risk. Targeted interventions, focusing on the drivers of negative perceptions toward vaccines, and accounting for the source of the educational material, may influence attitudes and improve vaccination perceptions.Methods: a self-administered questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of Us military personnel deployed to Iraq, afghanistan and surrounding regions. Questions solicited demographic information and assessed agreement with statements in an attempt to identify factors associated with declining pre-deployment vaccines.

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Section: ©2 0 1 1 L a N D E S B I O S C I E N C E D O N O T D I S Tsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 63%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: O N O T D I S T R I B U T Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Pre-deployment vaccinations and perception of risk among US military personnel

Polak¹,

Riddle²,

Tribble³

et al. 2011

Human Vaccines

Self Cite

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A cluster of nonspecific adverse events in a military reserve unit following pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 vaccination—Possible stimulated reporting?

McNeil

Araña

Stewart

et al. 2012

Vaccine

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Perceptions of Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Among U.S. Army Civilians and Dependents in the Kaiserslautern Military Community: A Mixed-Methods Survey

et al. 2021

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Introduction Influenza is a globally occurring viral respiratory infection that can lead to hospitalizations and death. An influenza outbreak can interfere with combat readiness in a military setting, as the infection can incapacitate soldiers. Vaccination remains the most effective tool to prevent and mitigate seasonal influenza. Although influenza vaccinations for U.S. Army soldiers can be monitored through military health systems, those systems cannot capture DoD civilians and Army dependents who may not use military health services. This study aims to gauge flu vaccine uptake and perceptions in U.S. Army civilians and dependents. Materials and Methods An online survey was e-mailed to civilian and dependent enrollees of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. The survey contained 24 questions pertaining to demographics, vaccine history, history of the flu, and beliefs toward vaccines. Chi-square tests, t-tests, and logistic regressions were performed to investigate the association between demographic, behavior, and belief factors with vaccine uptake. Free-text answers were coded and categorized by themes. Results Over 70% of respondents were vaccinated for the flu. There were differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated respondents regarding their perceptions of barriers to vaccination, benefits of the flu vaccine, severity of flu symptoms, and personal risk of getting ill with the flu. After controlling for confounders, flu vaccination in the previous season and healthcare worker status were associated with increased vaccine uptake, while perceived barriers to influenza vaccination were associated with decreased vaccine uptake. Conclusions Flu vaccine uptake may be increased by increasing access to vaccination, promoting vaccination and addressing concerns at the provider level, and engaging positively framed public messaging. Increasing flu vaccine uptake is of particular importance as the flu season approaches during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.

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Attitudes towards vaccines and infectious disease risk among U.S. troops

Cited by 6 publications

References 24 publications

Pre-deployment vaccinations and perception of risk among US military personnel

Pre-deployment vaccinations and perception of risk among US military personnel

A cluster of nonspecific adverse events in a military reserve unit following pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 vaccination—Possible stimulated reporting?

Perceptions of Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Among U.S. Army Civilians and Dependents in the Kaiserslautern Military Community: A Mixed-Methods Survey

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