Influenza vaccination amongst hospital health care workers in Beijing.
BACKGROUND
Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for health care workers (HCWs) in many countries in order to reduce the morbidity associated with influenza in health care settings. However, compliance rates with influenza vaccination are commonly low.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the current vaccination status of HCWs in Beijing, China, and examine their attitudes towards the disease and the vaccine.


METHODS
In January 2009, a survey was completed by 1909 HCWs in emergency departments, infection fever clinics, respiratory ward/outpatient's clinics and pediatric medical departments of 24 hospitals in Beijing (99% response rate).


RESULTS
Respondents were categorized into three main groups by occupation: nursing (60%, n = 1143), medical (36%, n = 693) and other (4%, n = 73). When examining beliefs about the influenza vaccine, 57% (n = 1081) felt it was safe and 54% (n = 1028) thought it was effective. Less than 18% stated that they had been immunized in 2008; 40% (n = 765) or participants agreed with the statement 'the flu vaccine can cause flu in some people'.


CONCLUSIONS
A better understanding of the barriers to vaccination in this population should facilitate the development of programs to make health care facilities a safer environment for both HCWs and patients.
Seale
H
H
School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. h.seale@unsw.edu.au
Wang
Q
Q
Yang
P
P
Dwyer
D E
DE
Wang
X
X
Zhang
Y
Y
MacIntyre
C R
CR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
D007252:Influenza Vaccines