title: Influenza vaccination rates and beliefs about vaccination among nursing home employees.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have suggested that vaccination of nursing home staff members may reduce the incidence of influenza among nursing home residents. Current national estimates of employee vaccination rates (around 50%) indicate that residents may be at an unnecessarily high risk of contracting influenza. This article reports on the influenza vaccination rates and attitudes toward the vaccine among employees in 37 nursing homes in 3 states.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nursing home employees were surveyed at nursing homes in Florida, Georgia, and Wisconsin in 2011-2012. Completed surveys were received from a total of 1,965 employees.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 54% of the employees surveyed received the vaccination during the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 influenza seasons. Nursing home-level staff vaccination rates varied widely, from 15%-97%. Black and younger employees were less likely to receive the vaccine. Employee vaccination rates in nursing homes that used incentives were 12 percentage points higher than those that did not use incentives (P = .08).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low vaccination rates among nursing home workers may put residents at increased risk for influenza-related morbidity and mortality. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services may consider employee vaccination rates as a quality indicator in addition to resident vaccination rates. Our findings support the use of a trial to test the use of incentives to increase employee vaccination rates.
authors: Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Electronic address: Jill.d.daugherty@gmail.com.
authors: Jill D
authors: JD
authors: Daugherty
authors: Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
authors: Sarah C
authors: SC
authors: Blake
authors: Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
authors: Jessica M
authors: JM
authors: Grosholz
authors: Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
authors: Saad B
authors: SB
authors: Omer
authors: Florida Health Care Association, Tallahassee, FL.
authors: LuMarie
authors: L
authors: Polivka-West
authors: Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
authors: David H
authors: DH
authors: Howard
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003625:Data Collection; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009735:Nursing Homes; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination; D000078329:Workforce
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines
keywords: Influenza; Long-term care facilities; Vaccination