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Attitudes of healthcare workers toward pertussis vaccination

Sabine Wicker1, Stefan Zielen, Markus A Rose

  • 1Occupational Health Service, University Hospital, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University of Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt, 60590, Germany. sabine.wicker@kgu.de

Expert Review of Vaccines
|November 5, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric healthcare workers (HCWs) show misconceptions about pertussis vaccination, often due to lack of information and fear of side effects. Targeted education for nursing staff is crucial to improve vaccine acceptance.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric healthcare
  • Vaccinology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Pertussis vaccination is critical for protecting vulnerable infants.
  • Healthcare workers' attitudes can influence vaccine uptake.
  • Understanding HCW perspectives is essential for effective immunization strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the attitudes of pediatric healthcare workers (HCWs) regarding pertussis vaccination.
  • To identify factors influencing HCW decisions about pertussis immunization.

Main Methods:

  • Anonymous questionnaire survey administered to pediatric HCWs at a university children's hospital.
  • Data collected from 121 out of 298 eligible employees (40.6% response rate).

Main Results:

  • A significant portion of HCWs expressed misconceptions about pertussis vaccination.
  • Lack of personal risk information and fear of side effects were key reasons for vaccine refusal.
  • Nursing staff demonstrated a higher prevalence of misconceptions compared to physicians.

Conclusions:

  • Misconceptions regarding pertussis vaccination are prevalent among pediatric HCWs, particularly nurses.
  • Intervention strategies should prioritize educating nursing staff due to their close contact with at-risk children.
  • Comprehensive educational approaches are vital to enhance HCW acceptance of pertussis vaccination.
Abstract

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