Voluntary Influenza Vaccination Uptake among Healthcare Workers at a Southeastern Medical Center

background: Influenza, also known as the flu, is one of the most common seasonal illnesses with outbreaks occurring each year. Although most cases of influenza are mild, up to 25% require outpatient medical care, and up to 5% require inpatient or intensive. Thus, the prevention of influenza is highly important for maintaining health and reducing mortality. Many hospitals have implemented voluntary influenza vaccination programs, which provide free seasonal influenza vaccines for all staff. However, even though the vaccination reduces the infection rate by up to 90%, the uptake of hospital-provided vaccination is relatively low.

methods: This study identified characteristics of healthcare workers who declined the flu vaccination in a United States teaching hospital. The study analyzed existing data from the 2010-2011 flu vaccination program gained from the employee database of the hospital.

results: Significant factors identified as affecting vaccination choices were ethnicity, professional role, years of experience, and level of patient contact. African Americans were found to have high rates of attitude based responses and participants with higher levels of direct patient contact and more years’ of experience were more likely to be vaccinated. Physicians (1.7%) were the lowest-refusing group while environmental service workers (27.4%) had the highest rates of refusal. The rate of overall vaccine uptake was significantly higher (80.7%) than in previous studies. Pre-existing attitudes and beliefs about vaccine side effects were associated with higher refusal rates. No significant differences based on gender or on age were found. Attitude-based declinations accounted for 12.7% of vaccination declinations in the chosen hospital.

conclusions: It appears that the program to educate hospital personnel about the importance of vaccination was effective. There were still certain segments of this population that had higher rates of vaccination refusal suggesting that more specific education and interventions be aimed at those particular groups.