Willingness to receive a hypothetical avian influenza vaccine among US military personnel in mid-deployment

Abstract

Though no avian influenza vaccine currently exists, development efforts have increased. Given recent reports of suboptimal vaccination rates among US military personnel, we sought to assess factors associated with a willingness to receive a hypothetical avian influenza vaccine. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by US military personnel during mid-deployment to Iraq, Afghanistan, and surrounding regions. Respondents were predominately male (86.2%), Army (72.1%), and enlisted (86.3%) with a mean age of 29.6 y. The majority (77.1%) agreed to receive an avian influenza vaccine if available. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified two factors, vaccine importance and disease risk, that best described the individual perceptions and both were associated with an increased willingness to receive the hypothetical vaccine (OR: 8.2 and 1.6, respectively). Importantly, after controlling for these factors differences in the willingness to receive this hypothetical vaccine were observed across gender and branch of service. These results indicated that targeted education on vaccine safety and efficacy as well as disease risk may modify vaccination patterns in this population.

Barriers of Influenza Vaccination Intention and Behavior – A Systematic Review of Influenza Vaccine Hesitancy, 2005 – 2016

“…In line with this, the cognitive parameters of risk perception were frequently identified as significant barriers, i.e. perceiving the likelihood of getting the disease as low (HCP 4/117 [ 43 , 73 – 75 ]; Pregnant 1/35 [ 76 ]; Elderly 1/62 [ 77 ]; Public 9/191 [ 68 , 72 , 78 – 84 ]) and perceiving the severity of the disease as low (HCP 8/117 [ 44 , 85 – 91 ]; Pregnant 3/35 [ 92 – 94 ]; Chronic 3/45 [ 58 , 95 , 96 ]; Children 2/18 [ 97 , 98 ]; Elderly 4/62 [ 96 , 99 – 101 ]; Public 16/191 [ 65 , 71 , 72 , 81 , 83 , 99 , 102 – 111 ]). Additionally, perceiving oneself as less susceptible to the disease decreased the uptake of the influenza vaccine in 23 studies (HCP 4/117 [ 42 , 112 – 114 ]; Pregnant 3/35 [ 115 – 118 ]; Chronic 1/45 [ 95 ]; Children 1/18 [ 119 ]; Elderly 1/62 [ 99 ]; Public 11/191 [ 99 , 107 , 108 , 120 – 128 ]).…”

“…Having a negative attitude towards the influenza vaccine was a major barrier to vaccine uptake (HCP 7/117 [ 153 , 161 , 227 – 231 ]; Pregnant 6/35 [ 92 , 232 – 236 ]; Chronic 4/45 [ 197 , 237 – 239 ]; Elderly 1/62 [ 222 ]; Public 17/191 [ 12 , 65 , 124 , 128 , 143 , 155 , 198 – 200 , 202 , 220 , 240 – 245 ]). Moreover, individuals who did not believe in the effectiveness of the vaccine showed lower vaccine uptake in every risk group (HCP 11/117 [ 44 , 46 , 48 , 75 , 86 , 130 , 161 , 190 , 194 , 211 , 246 ]; Pregnant 5/35 [ 76 , 116 , 195 , 235 , 247 ]; Chronic 4/45 [ 58 , 96 , 248 , 249 ]; Children 1/18 [ 250 ]; Elderly 1/62 [ 96 , 99 , 100 , 136 , 251 – 253 ]; Public 23/191 [ ...…”

“…An even more inconclusive pattern can be observed for gender and ethnicity. Being female was noted as a barrier (HCP [ 50 , 51 , 53 , 133 , 279 , 283 , 289 , 425 , 451 , 453 , 458 , 487 ]; Chronic 7/45 [ 238 , 321 , 352 – 354 , 372 , 442 ]; Elderly 7/62 [ 59 , 301 – 303 , 322 , 346 , 485 ]; Public 21/191 [ 65 , 68 , 72 , 105 , 122 , 146 , 148 , 240 , 256 , 261 , 308 , 310 , 311 , 345 , 346 , 374 , 416 , 417 , 449 , 479 , 488 ]), as a promoter (HCP 10/117 [ 114 , 190 , 204 , 277 , 285 , 328 , 331 , 455 ,…”

Investing in Immunity: Prepandemic Immunization to Combat Future Influenza Pandemics

“…Clear, well-designed communication about both the rationale for this approach and what is known and not known about potential benefits and risks would be essential. Although it is difficult to assess the degree of vaccine uptake that may occur, and it is likely to be highest for a licensed product [16], there may well be interest among populations more likely to have exposure risk [17,18]. Voluntary use of monovalent vaccine(s) offered to such populations could also provide additional data on longer-term immunogenicity, priming, and safety.…”

Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccination in a Troop of Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Marines: Observational Study

“…For example, within the United States Marine Corps, values such as the need for control and independence are reinforced, sometimes to the detriment of health-promoting behaviors [ 35 , 36 ]. Marines report a lower likelihood of vaccine receipt than other branches of service [ 37 , 38 ]. These differences may reflect true differences between the branches or, more likely, may reflect underlying differences in the characteristics of individuals choosing to serve in different branches.…”