Abstract
BackgroundVaccine coverage of health care professionals against influenza is still low in Italy, as well as in other European countries.MethodsBetween March and May 2018, this study was performed to collect the opinions of Pediatric health care professionals, working in emergency departments, regarding the efficacy and safety of the influenza vaccine. An anonymous online survey was employed to evaluate socio-demographic and professional characteristics, knowledges, beliefs and attitudes.ResultsFive hundred four health care professionals completed the survey: 331 physicians, 140 nurses and 33 other health are professionals. During the 2017–18 season, 55.8% of physicians, 19.3% of nurses and 12.1% of other health care professionals had vaccinated against the influenza virus. Not vaccinated physicians and nurses with less than 40 years of age were fewer than not vaccinated physicians and nurses with more than 40 years of age. Nurses and other health care professionals were less trustworthy of the influenza vaccination, less aware of the possibility of contracting and transmitting influenza and other vaccine-preventable diseases.ConclusionsInsufficient adherence to the influenza vaccination in physicians, nurses and other health care professionals is a concern for those assisting high-risk patients, especially in emergency departments. Therefore, it is vital to promote education of health care professionals and students regarding vaccinations. High vaccine coverage should be embedded in the safe hospital paradigm and should become a goal for the hospital's directors.
Highlights
Vaccine coverage of health care professionals against influenza is still low in Italy, as well as in other European countries
Participants worked in disparate geographical areas of Italy (Table 1)
28.6% of nurses, 11.5% of physicians and 27.3% of other health care professionals deemed the risk of contracting influenza as low whereas 22.1% of nurses, 7.3% of physicians and 27.3% of other health care professionals deemed the risk of transmitting influenza as low
Summary
Vaccine coverage of health care professionals against influenza is still low in Italy, as well as in other European countries. Influenza vaccination of health care professionals is the most effective public health strategy to prevent influenza’s transmission in hospital [1], reduce the mortality of elderly and high-risk patients [2] and limit absences from work during influenza epidemics [3,4,5]. Health care professionals are at higher risk of contracting influenza. In European countries vaccine coverage is still low (between 5 and 54.9%, with a median of 25.7% in 2014–15) [9]. In the United States 78.4% of health care personnel reported having received an influenza vaccination during the 2017–18 season, but vaccination coverage was highest (94.8%) among health care personnel working in settings where vaccination was required [10].
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