title: Attitude of Dutch hospital personnel towards influenza vaccination.
abstract: In 2007, the Dutch Health Council recommended influenza vaccination of all institutional healthcare workers (HCWs). In this questionnaire study largely based on the health belief model we assessed the attitude and intentions of hospital personnel towards such vaccination. We sent out 220 questionnaires to medical personnel and nurses of departments of the University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. Only one-third of the 112 responders (response rate of 51%) reported a positive intention to comply with the national recommendation. Factors associated with a positive intention were the awareness of a HCW's responsibility not to harm patients, the belief to have a high risk of influenza infection and confidence in vaccine efficacy. Physicians were more likely than nurses and other staff to have a positive intention. Education is needed to convince hospital personnel about influenza vaccination.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Utrecht, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, Utrecht, The Netherlands. vandendool@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van den Dool
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Van Strien
authors.forename: I Looijmans-Van
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: den Akker
authors.forename: M J M
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bonten
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D032541:Mass Vaccination; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009726:Nurses; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires