title: Influenza vaccination coverage among medical residents: an Italian multicenter survey.
abstract: Although influenza vaccination is recognized to be safe and effective, recent studies have confirmed that immunization coverage among health care workers remain generally low, especially among medical residents (MRs). Aim of the present multicenter study was to investigate attitudes and determinants associated with acceptance of influenza vaccination among Italian MRs. A survey was performed in 2012 on MRs attending post-graduate schools of 18 Italian Universities. Each participant was interviewed via an anonymous, self-administered, web-based questionnaire including questions on attitudes regarding influenza vaccination. A total of 2506 MRs were recruited in the survey and 299 (11.9%) of these stated they had accepted influenza vaccination in 2011-2012 season. Vaccinated MRs were older (P = 0.006), working in clinical settings (P = 0.048), and vaccinated in the 2 previous seasons (P<0.001 in both seasons). Moreover, MRs who had recommended influenza vaccination to their patients were significantly more compliant with influenza vaccination uptake in 2011-2012 season (P<0.001). "To avoid spreading influenza among patients" was recognized as the main reason for accepting vaccination by less than 15% of vaccinated MRs. Italian MRs seem to have a very low compliance with influenza vaccination and they seem to accept influenza vaccination as a habit that is unrelated to professional and ethical responsibility. Otherwise, residents who refuse vaccination in the previous seasons usually maintain their behaviors. Promoting correct attitudes and good practice in order to improve the influenza immunization rates of MRs could represent a decisive goal for increasing immunization coverage among health care workers of the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother to Child Care G. D'Alessandro; University of Palermo; Palermo Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.affiliation: Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother to Child Care G. D'Alessandro; University of Palermo; Palermo Italy.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mazzucco
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Siena; Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Azzolini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Public Health; University of Verona; Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences; University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergomi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences; University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia; Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio Daniele
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Biafiore
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Microbiology; University of Torino; Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences; University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borsari
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Public Health; University of Bologna; Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cacciari
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Sacred Heart of Roma; Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cadeddu
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Parma; Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Camia
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences; University of Modena and Reggio Emilia; Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carluccio
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health; University of Messina; Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Sacred Heart of Roma; Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Waure
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Public Health; University of Bologna; Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Gregori
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health; University of L'Aquila; L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fabiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Public Health G.F. Ingrassia; University of Catania; Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fallico
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health; University of Brescia; Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Filisetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science of Aging; University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti; Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Flacco
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Rome Tor Vergata; Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Public Health G.F. Ingrassia; University of Catania; Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Furnari
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Microbiology; University of Torino; Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Galis
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Public Health G.F. Ingrassia; University of Catania; Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gallea
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Bari Aldo Moro; Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Gallone
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Bari Aldo Moro; Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallone
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health; University of Brescia; Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gelatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Rome Tor Vergata; Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gilardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health; University of L'Aquila; L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Giuliani
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health; University of Messina; Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Orazio C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Neuroscience, Experimental and Legal Medicine; University of Pavia; Pavia, Lombardi, Italy.
authors.forename: Niccolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lanati
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health; University of Brescia; Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mascaretti
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health; University of L'Aquila; L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mattei
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences; University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia; Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Micò
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Rome Tor Vergata; Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morciano
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Siena; Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nante
authors.affiliation: Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother to Child Care G. D'Alessandro; University of Palermo; Palermo Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences; University of Catanzaro Magna Græcia; Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmelo Giuseppe
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Nobile
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University Hospital Federico II of Naples; Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Palladino
authors.affiliation: Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother to Child Care G. D'Alessandro; University of Palermo; Palermo Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University Hospital Federico II of Naples; Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Passaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Neuroscience, Experimental and Legal Medicine; University of Pavia; Pavia, Lombardi, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pelissero
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Bari Aldo Moro; Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quarto
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Sacred Heart of Roma; Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Public Health; University of Verona; Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Public Health; University of Bologna; Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Ennio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rustico
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science of Aging; University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti; Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saponari
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science of Aging; University G. D'Annunzio of Chieti; Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Schioppa
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Parma; Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Signorelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Microbiology; University of Torino; Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siliquini
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University of Parma; Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trabacchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health; University Hospital Federico II of Naples; Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Triassi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Neuroscience, Experimental and Legal Medicine; University of Pavia; Pavia, Lombardi, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Public Health; University of Verona; Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ziglio
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health; University of Messina; Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zoccali
authors.affiliation: Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother to Child Care G. D'Alessandro; University of Palermo; Palermo Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.affiliation: Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother to Child Care G. D'Alessandro; University of Palermo; Palermo Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amodio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000639:trends; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010820:Physicians / Q000639:trends; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines
keywords: Italy; coverage rate; influenza vaccination; medical residents; multicentre survey