Influenza immunisation: attitudes and beliefs of UK healthcare workers

Abstract

Aim: To explore attitudes to influenza immunisation and rates of uptake among staff working in acute hospitals in the UK. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 11 670 healthcare workers in six UK hospitals was carried out using a postal questionnaire. Results: Among 6302 responders (54% of those mailed), 19% had taken up influenza immunisation during winter 2002/3. Vaccination was well tolerated, with a low prevalence of side effects (13%) and associated time off work (2%). The majority of subjects who accepted vaccination (66%) were most strongly influenced by the personal benefits of protection against influenza. Prevention of sickness absence and protection of patients were the prime motivation for only 10% and 7% of subjects, respectively. Among 3967 who declined vaccination, the most common primary demotivators were concern about safety (31%) and efficacy (29%). 22% were most strongly deterred by lack of time to attend for vaccination. Free text answers indicated that 37% declined because of a perceived low ratio of personal benefits to adverse effects. Subjects said they would be persuaded to take up vaccination in future by easier access (36%), more information about personal benefit and risk (34%) and more information about effects on staff absence (24%). Conclusions: These findings indicate that the uptake of influenza immunisation among UK healthcare workers remains low. There is some scope for increasing uptake by improving accessibility and encouragement from professional peers. However, the results suggest that perception of small personal benefit in relation to risk mitigates, importantly, against higher uptake of routine annual influenza vaccination. Thus, resource might better be allocated to ensuring efficient management in epidemic years. The effect of publicity about pandemic influenza on risk perception and vaccine uptake among healthcare workers during winter 2005/6 warrants further study.

Primary healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitude and behavior regarding influenza immunization; 2006–2007 season adverse effect profile

“…However, its uptake in the general population and among healthcare workers has generally been suboptimal. In the United States, the vaccination rate among healthcare workers was 10 % in 1989, 34 % in 1997, and 40 % in 2003 (9). Despite the fact that the U.S.…”

“…In a study performed on infl uenza vaccination among health workers, the subjects said they would be persuaded to take up vaccination in future should there be easier access (36 %), more information on personal benefi ts and risks (34 %) as well as more information on effects on staff absence (24 %) (9).…”

Healthcare worker influenza vaccination and sickness absence – an ecological study

“…1 Survey data comparing the attitudes of staff who had or had not been vaccinated in the preceding year suggests that staff who had not had the influenza vaccination were more likely to respond that it was too much trouble to get the vaccination, that they felt they were not at risk of getting influenza and that they thought the vaccination would make them feel unwell. 12,13 US healthcare worker influenza vaccination rates are also persistently low. 14 Additional evidence that influenza vaccination has a positive effect on healthcare workers' own wellbeing might further influence NHS staff beliefs and behaviours with respect to being vaccinated.…”

The public acceptance of smallpox vaccination to fight bioterrorism in Japan: results of a large-scale opinion survey in Japan

“…On the other hand, the most common primary demotivators are concern about safety and efficacy [23,24]. A perceived low likelihood of contracting the disease, cost concerns, and lack of time to obtain the vaccination lead to a rejection of the vaccination [12]. More recent reports on individual decisions for vaccination against H5N1 and H1N1 influenza confirm that those factors work as major determinants [25][26][27].…”

“…Any perceived low ratio of personal benefits compared to adverse effects results in non-vaccination decisions [11]. According to the past studies on adult vaccination behaviors (influenza, anthrax, pneumococcal vaccination), factors associated with the increased likelihood of vaccination are the belief that a vaccine is effective in preventing the disease (prevention of sickness absence and the prevention of disease spread) [12]; the belief that side effects of vaccination are uncommon and/or mild [13]; the perception of high vulnerability to the disease; [14], past vaccination experience [15,16]; older age [17]; provider (physician) recommendation [18,19]; awareness (and attention paid to media news) of vaccination [20]; and ethnicity [21,22]. On the other hand, the most common primary demotivators are concern about safety and efficacy [23,24].…”