title: Achieving optimal influenza vaccination rates: a survey-based study of healthcare workers in an urban hospital.
abstract: In the USA, more than 36 000 deaths and 114 000 hospitalisations result from the influenza virus annually. Healthcare workers have been identified as a key source of influenza outbreaks. Despite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to vaccinate all healthcare workers, the rate remains low. A survey-based investigation of influenza vaccination rates and related factors was carried out in an urban community teaching medical centre. A total of 570 surveys revealed a 56.5% influenza vaccination rate among participants. Participants who received the vaccine had a significantly higher mean influenza knowledge score compared to those who did not receive the vaccine (P=0.003). Also, a relationship was identified between those who received the vaccine and the perception that the purpose of the vaccine is to prevent patients from being exposed to influenza (P=0.001). Lastly, hospital departments in which managers actively encouraged and facilitated vaccination had higher rates in general.
authors.affiliation: Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, New York 10457, USA. monica.mehta@liu.edu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D006282:Health Personnel; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011361:Professional Competence; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines