Visualizing knowledge and attitude factors related to influenza vaccination of physicians

To characterize groups of primary healthcare physicians according to sociodemographic data, years of professional experience and knowledge of and attitudes to influenza, and to evaluate differences between groups with respect to influenza vaccination in the 2011-2012 season.

We carried out an anonymous web survey of Spanish primary healthcare physicians in 2012. Information on vaccination, and knowledge of and attitudes to influenza was collected. Multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis were used to define groups of physicians.

We included 835 physicians and identified three types. Type B were physicians with low professional experience of influenza. Types A and C were physicians with high professional experience with influenza, type A also had a high awareness of influenza and seasonal vaccination. Types A and C were older and more often male than type B (p<0.0001). Knowledge of influenza was greatest in type A and lowest in type B. Awareness of influenza was greatest in type A and lowest in type C. In type A, 71.0% of physicians were vaccinated in the 2011-2012 season, compared with 48.1% and 33.6% from types B and C, respectively (p<0.001).

Additional efforts should be made to increase interest and concerns about preventing the transmission of influenza in physicians who do not believe influenza is a severe disease and are not concerned about its transmission.