Pandemic influenza H1N1 vaccination intention: psychosocial determinants and implications from a national survey, Taiwan

Abstract

Vaccination has been recommended as an effective way to protect people from severe illness during influenza pandemics; however, little is known about the acceptability and psychosocial determinants of intention to receive vaccination against pandemic influenza A/H1N1 (pH1N1). A national computer-assisted telephone interview survey using random digit dialing was conducted during 28-30 October 2009 among residents of Taiwan aged ≥15 years. Of the 1079 participants interviewed, 70.1% reported intention to receive pH1N1 vaccination. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that participants who perceived pH1N1 in Taiwan to be much more severe than that in other countries [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.94; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-3.60], who agreed (AOR = 2.44; 95% CI = 1.30-4.58) or strongly agreed (AOR = 2.53; 95% CI = 1.38-4.65) that contracting pH1N1 would have a great impact on their daily life, who perceived pH1N1 vaccination to be very effective in preventing pH1N1 (AOR = 2.64; 95% CI = 1.61-4.33) and who considered receiving vaccination not very difficult (AOR = 8.97; 95% CI = 6.05-13.29) or not at all difficult (AOR = 30.72; 95% CI = 19.24-49.04) were more inclined towards getting vaccinated against pH1N1. These specific and modifiable health beliefs have practical implications for prevention and policy making, and highlight the importance of minimizing perceived barriers while convincing the public of the seriousness of the disease and effectiveness of vaccination when promoting vaccination programmes.