Influenza vaccination acceptance and refusal rates among health care personnel

The primary aim of this study was to determine reasons why health care personnel (HCP) in a public health department chose or refused free influenza vaccinations offered at the worksite.

In an internal review board-approved study, we offered, through a health nurse at the site, self-administered surveys designed to evaluate HCPs' reasons for choosing or refusing influenza vaccination, HCP knowledge of vaccination recommendations, and other items such as demographic information. We tested for differences between the vaccinated and non-vaccinated cohorts, and conducted multiple logistic regression analysis to identify likely predictors of future vaccine acceptance.

Predictors of vaccine noncompliance were fear of needles (P ≤ 0.042), fear of getting sick from the vaccine (P ≤ 0.000), disbelief that the vaccine is effective (P ≤ 0.000), ignoring vaccination as a healthy behavior (P ≤ 0.000), and younger age (P ≤ 0.026). Nonvaccinated HCP were less likely than vaccinated HCP to report. Vaccines are encouraged because of (a) minimizing sick days and loss of productivity (P ≤ 0.000); (b) sick patients are exposed to influenza by HCP (P ≤ 0.000); or (c) note any reason (P ≤ 0.006).

The non-vaccinated group refused the vaccine primarily for reasons related to misconceptions regarding the effectiveness and health risks of the vaccine, as well as a belief that the vaccine is unnecessary. Conversely, the vaccinated cohort chose the vaccine for the primary reasons that the vaccine is effective, a vaccine is demonstrative of healthy behavior choices, and influenza is transmitted both to and from sick patients.