U.S. Military Service Members' Perceptions of the Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program

Pica-Branco, Denise; Hudak, Ronald P.

doi:10.7205/milmed.173.5.429

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Nevertheless, these data are consistent with previous findings that US military troops have concerns about the safety of pre-deployment vaccinations despite compulsory vaccination programs, [11][12][13][14] and additional research is needed on drivers of and barriers to vaccination status in a compulsory environment. Vaccinations remain a cost-effective, primary prevention strategy for protecting US troops from infectious diseases while deployed.…”

Section: ©2 0 1 1 L a N D E S B I O S C I E N C E D O N O T D I S Tsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…[11][12][13][14] This study builds upon the previous work by assessing positive and negative attitudes toward all pre-deployment vaccines in conjunction with compliance, without focusing on a specific disease or vaccination.…”

Section: O N O T D I S T R I B U T Ementioning

confidence: 99%

“…15 Additionally, concerns over vaccine safety and efficacy are prevalent even when compliance is high. [11][12][13][14] A study of anthrax vaccination among 1,743 personnel deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan found that only 40.6% reported receiving the full vaccine series, with vaccine safety concerns having a significant impact. 13 A similar study showed that over 60% of respondents disagreed that the anthrax vaccine was safe.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pre-deployment vaccinations and perception of risk among US military personnel

Polak¹,

Riddle²,

Tribble³

et al. 2011

Human Vaccines

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IntroductionAlthough vaccination programs in the general population have dramatically reduced morbidity and mortality associated with certain infectious diseases, public attitudes toward immunization programs have at times been contentious. 1 For example, in the past decade, research linking the onset of autism to receipt of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine has reduced vaccination rates for children in the US and Europe, leading to outbreaks of preventable disease.2,3 The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has not gained widespread acceptance for girls and young women due, in part, to the social implications of sexual promiscuity or increased risky behavior as well as unrealized safety concerns. 4,5 By early 2010, only approximately 25% of the US population had received the influenza A(H1N1) vaccine despite strong recommendations for the majority of the population by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.6 A lack of a perceived disease risk as well as concerns over vaccine safety and efficacy are thought to be the drivers behind the sub-optimal vaccination rates. [7][8][9] Vaccine safety concerns and relatively low vaccination Background: Vaccination programs have significantly reduced the incidence of numerous infectious diseases; however, public attitudes toward immunization oftentimes remain contentious. concerns over vaccine safety and effectiveness, compounded with reduced perceived risk of disease, influence decision making and frequently override public health recommendations. although vaccinations are compulsory for Us military personnel, their concerns mirror the general population, resulting in sub-optimal coverage. Results: Demographics of the 1,757 respondents: 83.3% male, 71.1% army, 87.5% enlisted, mean age of 29.2 years (standard deviation: 8.3). The majority (89.3%) reported receiving all pre-deployment vaccines; 17.1% stated they would decline if given the opportunity. Factors associated with an increased likelihood of declining vaccines included a perception that the vaccines were not safe [odds ratio (OR): 3.7; p < 0.001] and rarely/never believing information from the military command (OR: 2.2; p < 0.001). Those with a perceived risk for the diseases targeted by the vaccines were less likely to decline (OR: 0.6; p < 0.001).Discussion: In Us military personnel, negative perceptions of pre-deployment vaccines exist. These attitudes appear to be associated with negative perceptions of vaccine safety and low perceived disease risk. Targeted interventions, focusing on the drivers of negative perceptions toward vaccines, and accounting for the source of the educational material, may influence attitudes and improve vaccination perceptions.Methods: a self-administered questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of Us military personnel deployed to Iraq, afghanistan and surrounding regions. Questions solicited demographic information and assessed agreement with statements in an attempt to identify factors associated with declining pre-deployment vaccines.

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Section: ©2 0 1 1 L a N D E S B I O S C I E N C E D O N O T D I S Tsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: O N O T D I S T R I B U T Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pre-deployment vaccinations and perception of risk among US military personnel

Polak¹,

Riddle²,

Tribble³

et al. 2011

Human Vaccines

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“…Pica-Branco and Hudak found similar anthrax vaccine safety concerns among military personnel with 66% of respondents disagreeing with a statement that the anthrax vaccine is safe for human injection. 18 However, the authors did not evaluate vaccination status to determine the association with this safety concern. One factor to consider in the context of these data is the military healthcare system and potential medical care and information delivery issues, a factor not assessed in our study.…”

Section: ) Referencementioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-sectional survey of anthrax vaccine coverage and KAP among deployed US military

Porter¹,

Tribble²,

Halvorson³

et al. 2009

Human Vaccines

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The recently refocused effort on anthrax (AVA) vaccination has been the source of much ethical and legal deliberation. However, the factors affecting one's decision to receive any or all of the vaccine doses are poorly understood. Using a self-administered questionnaire, we sought to evaluate AVA coverage among a cross-section of deployed active duty US military personnel and identify factors associated with receipt of the vaccine. A questionnaire was distributed to U.S. military personnel deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and surrounding areas. Questions solicited demographic information, AVA vaccination status, and agreement to several questions attempting to assess the respondent's knowledge and attitudes regarding anthrax and the AVA vaccine. Of the 1,743 participants, 40.6% reported receiving all AVA vaccine doses. Older age and service in the Army were associated with an increased likelihood of AVA vaccination. Additionally, those who neither agreed nor disagreed with specific questions commonly rejected the AVA vaccine compared to those who agreed or disagreed to the same question. The only factor clearly associated with receipt or rejection of the AVA vaccine was whether the respondent thought that the anthrax vaccine is as safe as other vaccines. The individual decision to receive the AVA vaccine is most likely a multifactorial decision process even in a military population. Targeted educational interventions should be developed to increase AVA coverage and further understand drivers of vaccine receipt.

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“…A similar finding was observed in U.S. troops; the authors recommended enhanced training and education to increase understanding about the anthrax vaccination. 21 Providing individuals with correct information was vital-hence the VIP program. However, the provision of such information may have come at a cost, singling out the vaccine as "special" and thereby reducing uptake.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why Do UK Military Personnel Refuse the Anthrax Vaccination?

Murphy

Marteau

Hotopf

et al. 2008

Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, an

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The purpose of this study was to understand the reasons why some UK military personnel refused the anthrax vaccination. Data were collected from 5,302 members of the UK Armed Forces who had been deployed to Iraq since 2003 and had been offered the anthrax vaccination. As part of a larger questionnaire, information was collected on acceptance or refusal of the vaccination. Twenty-eight percent of participants refused the anthrax vaccination; of these 51% indicated that they refused vaccination because of concern that it was being offered voluntarily. Reasons differed between those deployed during the war-fighting phase in Iraq, who were concerned about being supplied with insufficient or unclear information (75% vs. 66%), and those involved on subsequent deployments, who felt that there was no longer a risk that biological weapons would be used against them (61% vs. 43%). Thus, refusal rates were related to perception of the threat. In addition, our results indicated the importance of providing individuals with relevant information to aid them in making decisions to receive the anthrax vaccination or not. The findings provide evidence that for some people, the policy to increase confidence in the anthrax vaccination program may have led to a decrease in levels of trust.

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U.S. Military Service Members' Perceptions of the Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program

Cited by 8 publications

References 6 publications

Pre-deployment vaccinations and perception of risk among US military personnel

Pre-deployment vaccinations and perception of risk among US military personnel

Cross-sectional survey of anthrax vaccine coverage and KAP among deployed US military

Why Do UK Military Personnel Refuse the Anthrax Vaccination?

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