title: Personal attitudes and misconceptions, not official recommendations guide occupational physicians' vaccination decisions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Healthcare personnel (HCP) are often under-vaccinated. The aim of this study was to evaluate occupational physicians' potential role by assessing relations between their knowledge and attitudes regarding HCP vaccination and the extent to which official vaccination recommendations are communicated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey, n=135 occupational physicians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Occupational physicians who treat HCP recommend vaccinations more often to HCP when they have better knowledge of official vaccination recommendations and a more positive attitude towards vaccination compared to physicians with less such knowledge or a more negative attitude. The attitude towards vaccination most strongly affects whether occupational physicians recommend the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination: physicians with less positive attitudes recommend MMR to HCP in a more restricted way. A more positive attitude towards vaccination also relates to fewer misconceptions. Occupational physicians' knowledge and attitude further influence the extent to which pregnant HCP receive vaccinations against influenza. Knowledge about official recommendations does not influence the recommendation of influenza vaccination for pregnant women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reasons for vaccination gaps in HCP might have their roots in occupational physicians' incomplete knowledge of vaccination recommendations. Attitudes, which are related to misperceptions, also influence which vaccinations are recommended to HCP. Official recommendations, and not personal attitudes and misconceptions, should guide occupational vaccination behavior.
authors: Center for Empirical Research in Economics and Behavioral Sciences University of Erfurt, Nordhäuserstrasse 63, 99089 Erfurt, Germany. Electronic address: cornelia.betsch@uni-erfurt.de.
authors: Cornelia
authors: C
authors: Betsch
authors: Occupational Health Service, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe-University Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: Sabine.Wicker@kgu.de.
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Wicker
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011361:Professional Competence; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Healthcare personnel; Immunization; Nosocomial infection; Occupational infection; Occupational physician; Vaccination recommendation