Understanding health care personnel's attitudes toward mandatory influenza vaccination.

Awali RA1, Samuel PS2, Marwaha B3, Ahmad N3, Gupta P3, Kumar V3, Ellsworth J3, Flanagan E3, Upfal M4, Russell J4, Kaplan C3, Kaye KS3, Chopra T3.

Author information

1Division of Infectious Diseases, Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. Electronic address: rawali@med.wayne.edu.
2Department of Health Care Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
3Division of Infectious Diseases, Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
4Occupational Health Services, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

This study investigated the factors influencing influenza vaccination rates among health care personnel (HCP) and explored HCP's attitudes toward a policy of mandatory vaccination.

METHODS:

In September 2012, a 33-item Web-based questionnaire was administered to 3,054 HCP employed at a tertiary care hospital in metropolitan Detroit.

RESULTS:

There was a significant increase in the rate of influenza vaccination, from 80% in the 2010-2011 influenza season (before the mandated influenza vaccine) to 93% in 2011-2012 (after the mandate) (P < .0001). Logistic regression showed that HCP with a history of previous influenza vaccination were 7 times more likely than their peers without this history to receive the vaccine in 2011-2012. A pro-mandate attitude toward influenza vaccination was a significant predictor of receiving the vaccine after adjusting for demographics, history of previous vaccination, awareness of the hospital's mandatory vaccination policy, and patient contact while providing care (P = .01).

CONCLUSIONS:

The increased rate of influenza vaccination among HCP was driven by both an awareness of the mandatory policy and a pro-mandate attitude toward vaccination. The findings of this study call for better education of HCP on the influenza vaccine along with enforcement of a mandatory vaccination policy.

TimAllenMDJD

Tuesday, May 20, 2014