Attitudes of Healthcare Workers toward Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Era
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are reluctant to participate in the influenza vaccination program, despite their high risk to contract and diffuse influenza due to professional exposure. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic could raise HCW flu vaccination adherence. The aim of this study was to assess HCW a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/6/883 |
| _version_ | 1797481599130927104 |
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| author | Tommaso Sani Ilaria Morelli Donatella Sarti Giovanni Tassinari Maria Capalbo Emma Espinosa Beatrice Gasperini Emilia Prospero |
| author_facet | Tommaso Sani Ilaria Morelli Donatella Sarti Giovanni Tassinari Maria Capalbo Emma Espinosa Beatrice Gasperini Emilia Prospero |
| author_sort | Tommaso Sani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Healthcare workers (HCWs) are reluctant to participate in the influenza vaccination program, despite their high risk to contract and diffuse influenza due to professional exposure. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic could raise HCW flu vaccination adherence. The aim of this study was to assess HCW attitudes toward influenza vaccination in the COVID-19 era. A multicenter observational study was carried out in three Italian hospitals (two in Pesaro and one in Fano, Marche region, Italy). Data about HCW influenza vaccination between 2013 and 2021 were extracted from the vaccination registers. An online questionnaire was sent to HCWs from July to October 2020 to assess their opinion about influenza vaccination in terms of knowledge, attitude, and practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of flu-vaccinated HCWs increased from 3.7% in the 2013–2014 flu season to 53.6% in the 2020–2021 flu season (<i>p</i> < 0.001). About 15% (<i>n</i> = 324) of HCWs responded to the online questionnaire, and 30.5% of them declared that they had changed their minds on flu vaccination after the COVID-19 pandemic, deciding to get vaccinated. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased HCWs’ attitudes toward flu vaccination. However, flu vaccination adherence remained low and should be improved. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:16:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14f00a533e2a46f4b4eb50d7b52934c4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:16:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-14f00a533e2a46f4b4eb50d7b52934c42023-11-23T19:20:51ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2022-05-0110688310.3390/vaccines10060883Attitudes of Healthcare Workers toward Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 EraTommaso Sani0Ilaria Morelli1Donatella Sarti2Giovanni Tassinari3Maria Capalbo4Emma Espinosa5Beatrice Gasperini6Emilia Prospero7School of Nursing, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Lombroso, 61122 Pesaro, ItalySchool of Nursing, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Lombroso, 61122 Pesaro, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60126 Ancona, ItalyGeneral Direction, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti Marche Nord, 61122 Pesaro, ItalyGeneral Direction, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti Marche Nord, 61122 Pesaro, ItalyGeriatric Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti Marche Nord, 61032 Fano, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60126 Ancona, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60126 Ancona, ItalyHealthcare workers (HCWs) are reluctant to participate in the influenza vaccination program, despite their high risk to contract and diffuse influenza due to professional exposure. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic could raise HCW flu vaccination adherence. The aim of this study was to assess HCW attitudes toward influenza vaccination in the COVID-19 era. A multicenter observational study was carried out in three Italian hospitals (two in Pesaro and one in Fano, Marche region, Italy). Data about HCW influenza vaccination between 2013 and 2021 were extracted from the vaccination registers. An online questionnaire was sent to HCWs from July to October 2020 to assess their opinion about influenza vaccination in terms of knowledge, attitude, and practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of flu-vaccinated HCWs increased from 3.7% in the 2013–2014 flu season to 53.6% in the 2020–2021 flu season (<i>p</i> < 0.001). About 15% (<i>n</i> = 324) of HCWs responded to the online questionnaire, and 30.5% of them declared that they had changed their minds on flu vaccination after the COVID-19 pandemic, deciding to get vaccinated. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased HCWs’ attitudes toward flu vaccination. However, flu vaccination adherence remained low and should be improved.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/6/883influenzavaccinationHCWsCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Tommaso Sani Ilaria Morelli Donatella Sarti Giovanni Tassinari Maria Capalbo Emma Espinosa Beatrice Gasperini Emilia Prospero Attitudes of Healthcare Workers toward Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Era Vaccines influenza vaccination HCWs COVID-19 |
| title | Attitudes of Healthcare Workers toward Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Era |
| title_full | Attitudes of Healthcare Workers toward Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Era |
| title_fullStr | Attitudes of Healthcare Workers toward Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Era |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attitudes of Healthcare Workers toward Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Era |
| title_short | Attitudes of Healthcare Workers toward Influenza Vaccination in the COVID-19 Era |
| title_sort | attitudes of healthcare workers toward influenza vaccination in the covid 19 era |
| topic | influenza vaccination HCWs COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/10/6/883 |
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