title: Perception on influenza vaccination in Korean women of childbearing age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant in the influenza season or caring for infant 6-59 months of age are identified as priority groups for influenza vaccination. Vaccination rate is presumed to be low in those women. The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of childbearing age women about influenza vaccination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Childbearing age women visiting the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 3 University hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do province were surveyed. Individual interviews were performed to them with questionnaire for 2 months from April to May 2012. Demographic data, Immunization history, general understanding and factors associated with vaccination were asked.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred fifty-five (71.0%) of total 500 reproductive age women had the experience of influenza vaccination. Among 343 women who has been pregnant at least once, 48 women (16.4%) had vaccination during pregnancy, and 46 of them got vaccination since 2009. One hundred ninety women of total 500 women responded that they would get vaccination if pregnant in the next influenza season (38.0%). In multivariate analysis, statistically significant factors associated with plans of influenza vaccination in pregnancy were as follows: experience of childbirth (odds ratio [OR], 1.97; 95% CI, 1.32 to 2.93), high level of education (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.22 to 3.15), previous influenza vaccination (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.17 to 3.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Influenza vaccine coverage on childbearing age women including pregnant women is low because of misperception of vaccination during pregnancy. It is necessary for healthcare provider to correct misunderstanding and to recommend vaccination actively.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: In Seon
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yu Bin
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Kyung-Wook
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Ji Yoon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Won Suk
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Joon Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Geum Joon
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Min Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hai Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Soon Choul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jang Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Hee Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.forename: Woo Joo
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Childbearing age; Influenza; Perception; Pregnancy; Vaccination