Beliefs, attitudes, and activities of healthcare personnel about influenza and pneumococcal vaccines

Abstract

Our results indicated that influenza vaccination rates are low in our whole HCP sample, with physicians having a slightly better rate than other HCP. Getting regularly vaccinated, having an educational level of college or higher, being a physician, and having a professional experience of more than 5 years positively affects the rate of future vaccinations. Physicians significantly more commonly recommended and prescribed the influenza vaccine than the pneumococcal vaccine. The most important reasons for getting vaccinated included having the opinion that the vaccine provided partial protection and intending to protect family members from infection. In our whole HCP sample, the reasons of not getting vaccinated against influenza included fear of vaccine's adverse effects and doubts about its efficacy and safety. Training meetings should be held for HCPs to underscore the importance of the influenza vaccine for protection of patients against the influenza.

Vaccine confidence: the keys to restoring trust

“…57 Vaccinated HCPs are more likely to recommend vaccination to their patients than unvaccinated colleagues (57.5% vs. 43.8%, P <.001). 58,59 Yet, recent surveys indicate low influenza vaccination rates across settings among HCPs, with 27% in two university hospitals in Ankara, Turkey, and 47.6% for US HCPs working in settings where vaccination was not required, promoted, or offered on-site. 59,60 Among HCPs, reasons for not recommending pneumococcal vaccination included lack of knowledge about vaccinations benefits, fears of adverse events, and doubts about efficacy and safety.…”

“…58,59 Yet, recent surveys indicate low influenza vaccination rates across settings among HCPs, with 27% in two university hospitals in Ankara, Turkey, and 47.6% for US HCPs working in settings where vaccination was not required, promoted, or offered on-site. 59,60 Among HCPs, reasons for not recommending pneumococcal vaccination included lack of knowledge about vaccinations benefits, fears of adverse events, and doubts about efficacy and safety. 59 It was also shown that HCPs who are knowledgeable about vaccines were more confident and more likely to recommend vaccination.…”

“…59,60 Among HCPs, reasons for not recommending pneumococcal vaccination included lack of knowledge about vaccinations benefits, fears of adverse events, and doubts about efficacy and safety. 59 It was also shown that HCPs who are knowledgeable about vaccines were more confident and more likely to recommend vaccination. 58 Educational interventions aimed at improving HCP knowledge and communication about vaccination improved HCPs' knowledge and the vaccine uptake of HCPs and their patients.…”

Why is vaccination frequency low in elderly patients?

“…TdV is associated with PV, IV, the inadequacy of information given by the physician and/or the physician not telling to definitely do it. In similar studies vaccination education and increased awareness of physicians also increases vaccination rates [7,10,14,15]. As a result, when a patient is vaccinated with one, it seems to increase the probability of vaccination with others.…”

“…This is extremely important to investigate vaccination-related conditions, to increase vaccination rates and to develop important strategies. In a recent study which was done in Turkey, health professionals' approach to influenza and the pneumococcal vaccine was investigated [7]. In another study, an investigation was made for pneumococcal, and influenza vaccination status and its effects on the clinical presentations of the patients internalized with community-acquired pneumonia [8].…”