Low vaccination coverage among italian healthcare workers in 2013: Contributing to the voluntary vs. mandatory vaccination debate

Fortunato, Francesca; Tafuri, Silvio; Cozza, Vanessa; Martinelli, Domenico; Prato, Rosa

doi:10.4161/10.4161/hv.34415

Cited by 7 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 40 publications

(72 reference statements)

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“…Our findings revealed that older workers had a higher likelihood to have been vaccinated for influenza, which is consistent with findings from other authors [19,20], probably because older HCWs are also recommended due to age. In accordance with other studies [23], 84.7% of PHPs considered influenza vaccination useful to protect their own health and their patients; therefore, effective risk communication is indispensable to promote adequate adherence to vaccination.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Consistent with other studies [20], younger PHPs had higher reported vaccination coverage for hepatitis B, which might be explained by the fact that, recently, more attention has been paid to parenterally transmitted diseases among HCWs.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…In fact, despite the various education initiatives promoted by SItI, in our study, PHPs reported that it is necessary to further increase operators' knowledge about vaccinations (73.7%). Another study [20] showed that counseling and influenza vaccination proposals came mainly from Occupational health physicians (OHPs) (26.6%) and other colleagues (24.1%), especially through communication by the Health Authority (50.4%). OHPs should record reasons for vaccination refusal, since the use of a signed informed declination statement for those refusing vaccination has been recommended as a possible tool to stimulate HCW vaccination rates [54].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Italy, several studies have been conducted on HCW vaccination coverage [18][19][20][21][22], but few studies have investigated the knowledge and risk perception of vaccinations [23][24][25][26], and to our best knowledge, none specifically addressed PHPs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adherence to Vaccination Policy among Public Health Professionals: Results of a National Survey in Italy

et al. 2020

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Starting from 2013, the number of unvaccinated people alarmingly increased in Italy; therefore, in 2017 a new Vaccine National Plan was approved. Healthcare workers (HCWs), especially public health professionals (PHPs, i.e., workers in in the sector of hygiene and preventive medicine), have an important role in informing and promoting vaccinations. In this context, the Italian Study Group of Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (GISIO-SItI) conducted a national survey to assess knowledge, attitude, and practices towards recommended vaccinations among PHPs. The survey was conducted during October 2019 with an anonymous questionnaire distributed to PHPs attending the 52° SItI National Congress. Overall, 57.1% of operators answered correctly to all seven recommended vaccinations, 12.8% reported to be vaccinated for all seven recommended vaccinations, while 30% were naturally immunized. A higher immunization coverage was reported for anti-hepatitis B (88.9%) and measles (86.1%), and 81.3% of the participants reported being offered the influenza vaccination during the 2018/2019 season. The majority of our sample indicated that hepatitis B (95%) and influenza (93.7%) were the recommended vaccines for HCWs, while less was known regarding varicella, pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus boosters every 10 years. PHPs who were vaccinated (or who intended to be vaccinated) were more likely to recommend vaccinations to their patients and provided a reassuring example to those hesitant patients. Finally, this is the first study that identified good algorithms (using the techniques of machine learning as Random Forest and Deep Learning) to predict the knowledge of PHPs regarding recommended vaccinations with possible applications in other national and international contexts.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adherence to Vaccination Policy among Public Health Professionals: Results of a National Survey in Italy

et al. 2020

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“…Twenty-four percent of the HCWs worldwide remain unvaccinated against HBV [ 9 ]. Although HCWs are an easily identifiable population in which to implement vaccination strategies, many countries are confronted with the challenges of addressing at-risk target groups [ 10 ]. Nigeria like many other countries in sub-Sahara Africa has no clear policy on vaccination against HBV and some other vaccine-preventable diseases among HCWs.…”

Section: Opinionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing the risk of nosocomial Hepatitis B virus infections among healthcare workers in Nigeria: a need for policy directive on pre-employment screening and vaccination

Ogundele¹

2018

Pan Afr Med J

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Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of contracting Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and other vaccine-preventable diseases, especially if they are not protected by immunity derived from previous infection or vaccination. Sub-Sahara Africa countries including Nigeria is reported to have the highest rate of HBV. Vaccination of HCWs is essential in protecting them from acute and chronic sequelae of HBV or any other form of vaccine-preventable diseases; however, HCWs vaccination remains a challenge for many developing countries including Nigeria due to lack of policy directive on pre-employment screening and vaccination. Poor political will and inadequate funding of healthcare in the country also impacts negatively on the implementation of effective pre-employment screening and vaccination programmes needed to protect HCWs. The aim of this opinion paper is to promote policy direction on pre-employment screening and vaccination in other to protect HCWs from nosocomial HBV infection. The most appropriate time perhaps for promoting the importance of employee immunisation is during pre-employment screening. The policy options are either for employers to allocate financial resources towards HCWs pre-employment screening and vaccination or alternatively initiate a programme where new HCWs provide evidence of protection against HBV or other vaccine-preventable diseases specified in the policy directive. Protecting HCWs form nosocomial HBV infection requires well-articulated policy directive, proper implementation, supported by adequate funding and good political will on the part of employers and government.

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Protecting health workers from nosocomial Hepatitis B infections: A review of strategies and challenges for implementation of Hepatitis B vaccination among health workers in Sub-Saharan Africa

Malewezi¹,

Omer²,

Mwagomba³

et al. 2016

JEGH

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The Sub-Saharan region has the highest Hepatitis B virus (HBV) rates, and health workers are at an increased risk of contracting nosocomial HBV infection. Vaccination of health workers plays a critical role in protecting them from sequelae of HBV; however, health-worker vaccination remains a challenge for many countries. This study was conducted to review practices/measures and challenges in the Sub-Saharan region relating to vaccination of health workers against HBV. We performed a literature review of articles addressing any aspect of HBV vaccination of health workers in the Sub-Saharan region sourced from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, including a case study of Malawi policies and strategies in training institutions and facilities. Our findings indicated that HBV awareness and vaccination were relatively high, but vaccination rates were lower, with 4.6-64.4% of those "ever vaccinated" completing the vaccination regimen. There was also great variation in the proportion of health workers exhibiting natural immunity from previous exposure (positive for anti-Hepatitis B core antibodies; 41-92%). Commonly cited reasons for non-uptake of vaccine included cost, lack of awareness of vaccine availability, and inadequate information concerning the vaccine. Countries in this region will require locally relevant data to develop cost-effective strategies that maximize the benefit to their health workers due to the great diversity of HBV epidemiology in the region.

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Low vaccination coverage among italian healthcare workers in 2013: Contributing to the voluntary vs. mandatory vaccination debate

Cited by 7 publications

References 40 publications

Adherence to Vaccination Policy among Public Health Professionals: Results of a National Survey in Italy

Adherence to Vaccination Policy among Public Health Professionals: Results of a National Survey in Italy

Reducing the risk of nosocomial Hepatitis B virus infections among healthcare workers in Nigeria: a need for policy directive on pre-employment screening and vaccination

Protecting health workers from nosocomial Hepatitis B infections: A review of strategies and challenges for implementation of Hepatitis B vaccination among health workers in Sub-Saharan Africa

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