title: Knowledge and attitudes of healthcare workers about influenza: why are they not getting vaccinated?
abstract: In a survey of employees at a chronic care psychiatric facility following an influenza outbreak, previous influenza vaccination (relative risk [RR], 69.7; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 25.2 to 192.4), age > or = 50 years (RR, 2.4; CI95, 1.3 to 4.5), and knowledge that vaccine does not cause influenza (RR, 2.3; CI95, 1.3 to 3.7) were the factors most predictive of current influenza vaccination. Medical personnel were less likely than nonmedical employees to be vaccinated (RR, 0.5; CI95, 0.3 to 0.9). Educational efforts to address misconceptions about vaccination plus more vigorous administrative measures to vaccinate employees should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Division of Field Epidemiology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heimberger
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Crotty
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Birkhead
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines