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574 Seasonal Flu vs H1N1 Vaccination: Perceptions, Attitudes and Barriers to Vaccination in Health Care Workers

Sunday, April 3, 2011
Trinity Ballroom (Hilton Anatole)
Shivanjali Shankaran, MD , Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Gonzalo Bearman , Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Frank Tortorella , Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Janis Ober , Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Kara Elam , Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Kakotan Sanogo , Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
MIchael Edmond , Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Background: During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, vaccination of Health Care Workers (HCWs) was widely promoted by hospital systems and public health authorities

Objective: We studied HCW perceptions, attitudes and barriers to seasonal influenza vaccine (SIV) and H1N1 vaccination (H1N1 V).

Methods: An anonymous, voluntary survey was distributed to HCWs in a tertiary care, academic medical centre. Surveys were distributed at conferences, employee health, wards and ICUs.

Results: 422 surveys were completed. Of the respondents, 34.8% were residents and fellows, 24.2% were nurses, 15.5% were attending physicians and 7% were medical students. The remainder of the respondents was care partners, pharmacy students, physical therapists, or classified themselves as other (13%). The SIV was received by 348 (82.46%) respondents. 155 respondents (45.9%) received the nasal H1N1 vaccine and 168 people (47.06%) received the intramuscular vaccine. Of the H1N1 V non-recipients, 19 (15.83%) were planning on receiving the vaccine. Of SIV recipients, 278 (79.3%) respondents also received the H1N1 V. Fifty-eight (13%) of the total respondents received neither the SIV nor the H1N1V. Reasons for H1N1 V refusal were concerns about vaccine safety 38 (38%), fear of side effects 32  (32%), and concern about vaccine efficacy 13 (13%). Other reasons included prior H1N1 HCW illness 11 (11%) concerns about H1N1 transmissibility to patients 7 (7%), allergies 5 (5%) and a fear of needles 4 (4%). Of the respondents receiving the SIV but not the H1N1 V, refusals were concerns about safety in 17 (30%), side effects in 14 (24.5%) and 9 (7%) believed they had had H1N1 flu that season. Only 146 HCW (36.6%) agreed or strongly agreed that H1N1 vaccination should be mandatory. Of mandatory H1N1 vaccination proponents, 69% were MDs (attendings, fellows, residents or medical students) while 17% were nurses

Conclusions: In a survey of HCWs, self-reported vaccination and acceptance of the SIV was greater than H1N1V. Even among recipients of SIV, safety fears predominated for H1N1V. The minority of HCWs supported mandatory vaccination attempts; this was particularly unpopular among nurses.