Gender, Socioeconomic, and Health Characteristics Associated with Influenza Vaccination Coverage (VC) among Italian Healthcare Workers: Secondary Analysis of a National Cross-Sectional Survey.

Pamela Barbadoro,Aura Brighenti,Francesca Diotallevi,Vincenzo Montagna,Marcello Mario D’Errico,Alberto Lino Masiero,Alessandro Catalini,Giorgia Acquaviva

doi:10.3390/healthcare8030298

Pamela Barbadoro, Aura Brighenti + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8030298

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Journal: Healthcare	Publication Date: Aug 26, 2020
Citations: 5	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Marche Polytechnic University

Abstract

Influenza epidemics pose a great overload over health-care facilities with an increase in the burden of disease for patients and healthcare costs. Despite a well-established amount of research in the area, vaccination rates show room for improvement and more research is needed in finding systematic interventions useful in improving healthcare workers (HCWs) vaccination coverage (VC). The purpose of this study was to describe the self-reported frequency of influenza immunization in HCWs and to identify demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and health factors associated with this practice in Italy. Data about 5823 workers participating in the Italian national survey about health and healthcare services utilization are analyzed in the present study. Overall, 18.8% of HCWs reported being vaccinated against seasonal flu. In the multilevel regression, older workers had a higher likelihood of vaccine uptake (OR: 6.07; 95% CI 4.72–7.79), similar to those with chronic conditions or poor self-perceived health status (OR: 2.18 95% CI 1.17–4.09). On the other hand, the results highlighted a lower rate of VC in female HCWs (OR: 0.73 95% CI 0.61–0.86). Data confirm the low compliance towards flu immunization among Italian HCWs and highlight an important gap to be investigated in women.

Highlights

Influenza epidemics pose a great overloading of healthcare facilities with an increase in the burden of disease for patients and costs for the healthcare systems worldwide [1,2]
The purpose of this study is to describe the self-reported frequency of influenza immunization in healthcare workers (HCWs) and to identify socioeconomic, lifestyle and health factors associated with this practice in HCWs living in Italy
Results are in line with previous studies, where lower vaccination coverage (VC) has been associated with limited awareness of the cost-effectiveness (CE) profile of influenza vaccination in adults, as HCWs tend to have a better knowledge of recommendations for higher risk groups [23]

Summary

Introduction

Influenza epidemics pose a great overloading of healthcare facilities with an increase in the burden of disease for patients and costs for the healthcare systems worldwide [1,2]. Vaccinations are the most important measures for infection control and are aimed at protecting workers but above all, to avoid flu transmission to vulnerable patients, with considerable benefits, especially in at-risk groups [4,5,6,7,8,9]. For this reason, health authorities have made recommendations concerning vaccination. 2017–2019 recommend anti-influenza vaccination for HCWs [10,11]. Despite the wide evidence that the HCWs’ vaccinations contribute to promoting safety, in many developed countries including Italy, vaccination coverage (VC) is low and still shows

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