Acceptance of the 2009 A(H1N1) influenza vaccine among hospital workers in two French cancer centers

• Published in: Vaccine 2010-10, Vol.28 (43), p.7030-7034
• Main Authors: Barrière, J, Vanjak, D, Kriegel, I, Otto, J, Peyrade, F, Estève, M, Chamorey, E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A(H1N1) influenza; Acceptance; Adult; Age; Allergy and Immunology; Applied microbiology; Attitude of Health Personnel; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer; Confidence intervals; Female; France; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health care workers; Health facilities; Hospitals; Humans; Immunization; Infections; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype - immunology; Influenza Vaccines - administration & dosage; Influenza, Human - prevention & control; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Multivariate Analysis; Nursing; Pandemics; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Personnel, Hospital - statistics & numerical data; Physicians; Polls & surveys; Population; Questionnaires; Surveys and Questionnaires; Swine flu; Tumors; Vaccination; Vaccination - psychology; Vaccination - statistics & numerical data; Vaccines; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects); Virology; Workers
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.08.021

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine predictive factors influencing the acceptance of the 2009 A(H1N1) influenza vaccination among hospital workers (HW) in two French cancer centers. A standardized, anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was sent to HW of two cancer centers. The survey response rate was 26.2% ( n = 506). Main reasons for A(H1N1) vaccination acceptance were “to protect my relatives” (30.3%), “to protect myself” (30.3%). Main reasons for A(H1N1) vaccination refusal were the fear of side effects (43.1%), doubt about the vaccine's efficacy (25.8%). Vaccinated HW were more influenced by the institutional campaign ( p < 0.001) or colleagues’ advice ( p < 0.001) whereas non-vaccinated HW were influenced by their family physician's advice ( p = 0.03), personal conviction ( p < 0.001) or the media ( p < 0.001). A multivariate analysis revealed age (>35 vs ≤35), prior seasonal influenza vaccination, professional category and source of information to be predictive factors of vaccination. Future vaccination campaigns will need to focus on young HW (≤35-year old), with no prior influenza vaccination and HW who are in contact with patients and who reported low seasonal influenza vaccination rates.