Beliefs and Opinions of Health Care Workers and Students Regarding Influenza and Influenza Vaccination in Tuscany, Central Italy.
Immunization of health care workers (HCWs) against influenza has been associated with improvements in patient safety. The aim of this study is to assess the beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge of HCWs and health profession students regarding influenza. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to HCWs in three local Florentine healthcare units, at Careggi University Teaching Hospital, and to students in health profession degree programs. A total of 2576 questionnaires were fully completed. A total of 12.3% of subjects responded that they were "always vaccinated" in all three of the seasonal vaccination campaigns studied (2007-2008 to 2009-2010), 13.1% had been vaccinated once or twice, and 74.6% had not received vaccinations. Although the enrolled subjects tended to respond that they were "never vaccinated," they considered influenza to be a serious illness and believed that the influenza vaccine is effective. The subjects who refused vaccination more frequently believed that the vaccine could cause influenza and that it could have serious side effects. More than 60% of the "always vaccinated" group completely agreed that HCWs should be vaccinated. Self-protection and protecting family members or other people close to the respondent from being infected and representing potential sources of influenza infection can be considered motivating factors for vaccination. The results highlight the importance of improving vaccination rates among all HCWs through multi-component interventions. Knowledge of influenza should be reinforced.
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, viale GB Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy. guglielmo.bonaccorsi@unifi.it.
Guglielmo
G
Bonaccorsi
Department of Health Science, University of Florence, viale GB Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy. francesca.santomauro@unifi.it.
Francesca
F
Santomauro
School of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, viale GB Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy. babibell83@gmail.com.
Barbara Rita
BR
Porchia
School of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, viale GB Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy. giuditta.niccolai@sysoft.it.
Giuditta
G
Niccolai
School of Specialization in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, viale GB Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy. elettra.pellegrino@gmail.com.
Elettra
E
Pellegrino
Department of Health Science, University of Florence, viale GB Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy. paolo.bonanni@unifi.it.
Paolo
P
Bonanni
Department of Health Science, University of Florence, viale GB Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy. chiara.lorini@unifi.it.
Chiara
C
Lorini
attitudes; health care workers; health professions students; influenza; knowledge