Strategies to increase influenza vaccine uptake among health care workers in Greece

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to investigate the contribution of various strategies to increase influenza vaccine uptake among health care workers (HCWs) working in hospitals in Greece during the 2005-2006 season. A total of 132 Greek public hospitals participated in the study. The mean HCWs vaccination rate against influenza during 2005-2006 was 16.36% compared with 1.72% during the previous season. Logistic regression analysis showed that the implementation of the following strategies was significantly associated with influenza vaccination rates above the mean vaccination rate: a mobile vaccination team (OR 2.942, 95% CI 1.154-5.382, p-value 0.016) and lectures on influenza and influenza vaccine (OR 2.386, 95% CI 0.999-5.704, p-value 0.036). In conclusion, in Greece influenza vaccination rates among HCWs remain low; however, the implementation of specific strategies was associated with increased vaccine uptakes.

Disparities in influenza vaccination coverage rates by target group in five European countries: Trends over seven consecutive seasons

“…The coverage level in this group was low and has even seemed to spiral downwards over the past few years in Italy. This fact has been documented by several European studies with comparable results [36,37].…”

Determinants of intention to get vaccinated against novel (pandemic) influenza A H1N1 among health-care workers in a nationwide survey

“…3,19 Improved knowledge of HCWs about the impact of nosocomial influenza and the benefits of seasonal influenza vaccination have been associated with increased vaccine uptake rates. 20,21 Inadequate information about novel influenza vaccines was reported by 27.8% of HCWs who did not intend to get vaccinated, which underlies the need to educate HCWs about misconceptions towards vaccination.…”

Compliance of Cypriot nurses with Standard Precautions to avoid exposure to pathogens

“…This issue has particularly affected nurses, who are the largest group of workers within the healthcare system (WHO, 2008). Nurses are likely to be exposed to microorganisms during their daily practice due to the very close (and frequently direct) contact that they need to have with patients in order to provide nursing care (Maltezou et al, 2008). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the USA acknowledged the importance of occupational exposure to microorganisms and, in 1996, issued a set of guidelines (Garner, 1996) that were recently updated by Siegel et al (2007).…”