Preliminary survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices among nurses regarding seasonal influenza and influenza vaccination
<p>Health care workers are at risk of influenza through occupational exposure. Uptake of influenza vaccine is poor even in countries where it is provided free. We sought to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding seasonal influenza and barriers for vaccination among nurses...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sri Lankan Society for Microbiology
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sljid.sljol.info/articles/8343 |
| _version_ | 1797985089181712384 |
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| author | W. C. R. Fonseka G. E. Ganhewa K. P. B. Guneratne A. S. Hapugalle S. Nagarajah B. C. V. Senaratna K. M. Gunasekera |
| author_facet | W. C. R. Fonseka G. E. Ganhewa K. P. B. Guneratne A. S. Hapugalle S. Nagarajah B. C. V. Senaratna K. M. Gunasekera |
| author_sort | W. C. R. Fonseka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Health care workers are at risk of influenza through occupational exposure. Uptake of influenza vaccine is poor even in countries where it is provided free. We sought to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding seasonal influenza and barriers for vaccination among nurses in Colombo. A cross sectional survey was carried out from February to March 2020 on 97 randomly selected nurses. Level of knowledge was measured using a scoring system. Only a few (n=7; 7.2%) nurses had been immunized against influenza. Overall knowledge regarding influenza and vaccines was average in most nurses (n=53; 55%). The majority (n=62; 63.9%) believed the vaccine was safe and 79.4% (n=77) were willing to be vaccinated if vaccine is provided free. However, 15 of these 77 (19.5%) were reluctant to be vaccinated annually. Identified barriers for vaccination were the perception that the vaccine was not essential, doubt about its efficacy, fear of vaccines and side effects. Knowledge should be improved, and misconceptions and fears need to be addressed through health education and promotion.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T07:13:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3d43045b196345ae8d7b4d2278142a69 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2012-8169 2448-9654 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T07:13:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Sri Lankan Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-3d43045b196345ae8d7b4d2278142a692022-12-22T04:38:06ZengSri Lankan Society for MicrobiologySri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases2012-81692448-96542021-04-01111323710.4038/sljid.v11i1.83435857Preliminary survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices among nurses regarding seasonal influenza and influenza vaccinationW. C. R. Fonseka0G. E. Ganhewa1K. P. B. Guneratne2A. S. Hapugalle3S. Nagarajah4B. C. V. Senaratna5K. M. Gunasekera6University of Sri JayewardenepuraUniversity of Sri JayewardenepuraUniversity of Sri JayewardenepuraFaculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri JayewardenepuraUniversity of Sri JayewardenepuraUniversity of Sri JayewardenepuraUniversity of Sri Jayewardenepura<p>Health care workers are at risk of influenza through occupational exposure. Uptake of influenza vaccine is poor even in countries where it is provided free. We sought to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding seasonal influenza and barriers for vaccination among nurses in Colombo. A cross sectional survey was carried out from February to March 2020 on 97 randomly selected nurses. Level of knowledge was measured using a scoring system. Only a few (n=7; 7.2%) nurses had been immunized against influenza. Overall knowledge regarding influenza and vaccines was average in most nurses (n=53; 55%). The majority (n=62; 63.9%) believed the vaccine was safe and 79.4% (n=77) were willing to be vaccinated if vaccine is provided free. However, 15 of these 77 (19.5%) were reluctant to be vaccinated annually. Identified barriers for vaccination were the perception that the vaccine was not essential, doubt about its efficacy, fear of vaccines and side effects. Knowledge should be improved, and misconceptions and fears need to be addressed through health education and promotion.</p>https://sljid.sljol.info/articles/8343influenza, knowledge, attitudes, sri lanka, vaccine |
| spellingShingle | W. C. R. Fonseka G. E. Ganhewa K. P. B. Guneratne A. S. Hapugalle S. Nagarajah B. C. V. Senaratna K. M. Gunasekera Preliminary survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices among nurses regarding seasonal influenza and influenza vaccination Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases influenza, knowledge, attitudes, sri lanka, vaccine |
| title | Preliminary survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices among nurses regarding seasonal influenza and influenza vaccination |
| title_full | Preliminary survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices among nurses regarding seasonal influenza and influenza vaccination |
| title_fullStr | Preliminary survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices among nurses regarding seasonal influenza and influenza vaccination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preliminary survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices among nurses regarding seasonal influenza and influenza vaccination |
| title_short | Preliminary survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices among nurses regarding seasonal influenza and influenza vaccination |
| title_sort | preliminary survey of knowledge attitudes and practices among nurses regarding seasonal influenza and influenza vaccination |
| topic | influenza, knowledge, attitudes, sri lanka, vaccine |
| url | https://sljid.sljol.info/articles/8343 |
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