title: Using a validated health promotion tool to improve patient safety and increase health care personnel influenza vaccination rates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study employed the risk perception attitude (RPA) framework to determine whether health care personnel (HCP) influenza-related risk perceptions and efficacy beliefs could be used to segment individuals into meaningful groups related to vaccination uptake, absenteeism, and patient safety beliefs.
  
  
  METHODS
  After pilot interviews, a questionnaire was administered to 318 hospital-based HCP (80%) and nonclinical support staff (20%) in Lexington, KY, in 2011. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 29 respondents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cluster analysis was used to create 4 groups that correspond to the RPA framework: responsive (high risk, strong efficacy), avoidance (high risk, weak efficacy), proactive (low risk, strong efficacy), and indifference (low risk, weak efficacy). A significant association was found between membership in 1 or more of the 4 RPA groups and the 3 study variables of interest: influenza vaccination uptake (F7,299 = 2.51, P < .05), influenza-related absenteeism (F7,269 = 3.6, P < .001), and perceptions of patient safety climate (F7,304 = 6.21, P < .001). A subset of respondents indicated the principal reasons for not getting vaccinated were "had one before and got sick anyway," "concerned about vaccine safety," and "no convenient time." In follow-up interviews, HCP indicated that employee vaccinations were altruistic, increased herd immunity, and important for patient safety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RPA framework is a valid health promotion tool for improving patient safety, targeting specific groups for interventions, and improving HCP influenza vaccination rates.
authors: Department of Communication, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA. kevin.real@uky.edu
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Real
authors: Sujin
authors: S
authors: Kim
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Conigliaro
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000517:prevention & control; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D061214:Patient Safety; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines
keywords: Communication; Healthcare personnel; Influenza prevention; Patient safety climate; Risk perception; Risk perception attitude framework; Self-efficacy