Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards seasonal influenza vaccination among pregnant women and healthcare workers: A cross‐sectional survey in Afghanistan

Abstract

Background Despite recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO), influenza vaccination coverage among high‐risk groups remains suboptimal in Afghanistan. This study aims to document the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of seasonal influenza vaccine uptake among two priority groups, pregnant women (PWs) and healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods This cross‐sectional study enrolled PWs and HCWs in Kabul, Afghanistan, from September to December 2021. Data on vaccine intention and uptake, knowledge, and attitudes towards vaccination were collected. Simple linear regression was used to predict the impact of sociodemographic characteristics on the KAP score. Results A total of 420 PWs were enrolled in Afghanistan. The majority (89%) of these women had never heard of the influenza vaccine but 76% intended to receive the vaccine. Of the 220 HCWs enrolled, 88% were unvaccinated. Accessibility and cost were factors which encouraged vaccination among HCWs. Fear of side effects and affordability were identified as key barriers. HCWs reported high level of vaccine intention (93%). PWs aged under 18 years (β: 6.5, P = 0.004), between 18 and 24 years (β: 2.9, P = 0.014), currently employed (β: 5.8, P = 0.004), and vaccinated against COVID‐19 (β: 2.8, P = 0.01) were likely to have a higher attitude score. Among HCWs, being female was a predictor for poor vaccination practice (β: −1.33, P < 0.001) whereas being vaccinated against COVID‐19 was a predictor for higher practice score (β: 2.4, P < 0.001). Conclusion To increase influenza vaccination coverage among priority groups, efforts should be made to address issues such as lack of knowledge, limited availability, and cost barriers.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward seasonal influenza vaccination among healthcare workers and pregnant women in Pakistan: A mixed methods approach

“…These coverage estimates are higher than previous surveys from Pakistan, which report around 8.8–20.1% of the healthcare workers to be vaccinated and are comparable with other WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region countries. 13 , 16-18 The HCWs in our study had a low level of awareness, as only 25% of them ever made a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of influenza in their practice and 39% of the HCWs did not perceive themselves to be susceptible to severe disease. Previously, Ali et al reported that 60% of the HCWs believed asymptomatic hospital workers cannot transmit the virus and the vaccine contains a live virus which may cause influenza.…”

“… 12 The questionnaire is pre-validated and previously tested for reliability and item selection and is being currently used in KAP studies by PIVI in Low-and Middle-Income countries (LMICs). 13 The study tool was designed to inquire about the demographic information of the healthcare workers (HCWs) and pregnant women (PW), their vaccination status, the reasons for not receiving the influenza vaccination, and the general knowledge of influenza disease and vaccines.…”

Knowledge, Attitude, and Barriers of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination among Pregnant Women Visiting Primary Healthcare Centers in Qassim, Saudi Arabia

“…Other studies have also reported psychological barriers to vaccine acceptability (Adeyanju et al, 2021). Shahid et al (2023) and Arriola et al (2018) further showed that the pregnant population's shared concerns about the cost of the vaccine and limited awareness are universal barriers that exist in many cultures and socio-economic settings.…”