Acceptance and Adverse Effects of H1N1 Vaccinations Among a Cohort of National Guard Health Care Workers during the 2009 Hajj Season
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The H1N1 influenza pandemic had garnered a large amount of attention. Currently, the most effective preventive measure available is the H1N1 vaccine. We aimed to assess the willingness of our study participants to receive the H1N1 va...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2011-03-01
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| Series: | BMC Research Notes |
| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/4/61 |
| _version_ | 1830442008889524224 |
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| author | Balkhy Hanan H Ahmed Gasmelseed Y Bafaqeer Saleh Al-Jasir Badr Althaqafi Abdulhakeem |
| author_facet | Balkhy Hanan H Ahmed Gasmelseed Y Bafaqeer Saleh Al-Jasir Badr Althaqafi Abdulhakeem |
| author_sort | Balkhy Hanan H |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The H1N1 influenza pandemic had garnered a large amount of attention. Currently, the most effective preventive measure available is the H1N1 vaccine. We aimed to assess the willingness of our study participants to receive the H1N1 vaccination prior to the annual Hajj season. If any participant declined, we investigated the reasons for vaccine rejection.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We conducted a prospective cohort study of National Guard employees during the 1430 (2009) Hajj season. A survey was used as the primary method for data collection. Participants were vaccinated one to two weeks prior to their trip to Mona, and any side effects reported at the time of injection and three weeks post vaccination were recorded.</p> <p>There were 100 male and 26 female participants in the study. In total, 66.7% (n = 84) of the participants were health care workers (HCWs) and 33.3% (n = 42) were non-health care workers (non-HCWs). Less than half of the respondents (46.8%, n = 59) accepted the vaccination. The vaccination acceptance rate was higher among non-HCWs, at a rate of 71.4% (n = 30); HCWs only accepted at a rate of 34.5% (n = 29) (OR 1.103, 95% CI [0.488-2.496]). The most common reason for vaccine refusal was the impression that the disease was not fatal (25.4%, n = 32). Finally, all participants reported pain at the injection site and 18.3% (n = 11) reported swelling. All other side effects were reported in less than 15% of the participants.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Despite fears of the new H1N1 vaccine, there was a reasonable rate of vaccine acceptance among our study participants. Early health education may increase the rate of acceptance of the H1N1 vaccine. Furthermore, additional research is needed on long-term adverse effects of the H1N1 vaccine.</p> |
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| id | doaj.art-c221eae6648c4648af2f933d696b79a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-0500 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T05:32:00Z |
| publishDate | 2011-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Research Notes |
| spelling | doaj.art-c221eae6648c4648af2f933d696b79a32022-12-21T19:14:31ZengBMCBMC Research Notes1756-05002011-03-01416110.1186/1756-0500-4-61Acceptance and Adverse Effects of H1N1 Vaccinations Among a Cohort of National Guard Health Care Workers during the 2009 Hajj SeasonBalkhy Hanan HAhmed Gasmelseed YBafaqeer SalehAl-Jasir BadrAlthaqafi Abdulhakeem<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The H1N1 influenza pandemic had garnered a large amount of attention. Currently, the most effective preventive measure available is the H1N1 vaccine. We aimed to assess the willingness of our study participants to receive the H1N1 vaccination prior to the annual Hajj season. If any participant declined, we investigated the reasons for vaccine rejection.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We conducted a prospective cohort study of National Guard employees during the 1430 (2009) Hajj season. A survey was used as the primary method for data collection. Participants were vaccinated one to two weeks prior to their trip to Mona, and any side effects reported at the time of injection and three weeks post vaccination were recorded.</p> <p>There were 100 male and 26 female participants in the study. In total, 66.7% (n = 84) of the participants were health care workers (HCWs) and 33.3% (n = 42) were non-health care workers (non-HCWs). Less than half of the respondents (46.8%, n = 59) accepted the vaccination. The vaccination acceptance rate was higher among non-HCWs, at a rate of 71.4% (n = 30); HCWs only accepted at a rate of 34.5% (n = 29) (OR 1.103, 95% CI [0.488-2.496]). The most common reason for vaccine refusal was the impression that the disease was not fatal (25.4%, n = 32). Finally, all participants reported pain at the injection site and 18.3% (n = 11) reported swelling. All other side effects were reported in less than 15% of the participants.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Despite fears of the new H1N1 vaccine, there was a reasonable rate of vaccine acceptance among our study participants. Early health education may increase the rate of acceptance of the H1N1 vaccine. Furthermore, additional research is needed on long-term adverse effects of the H1N1 vaccine.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/4/61 |
| spellingShingle | Balkhy Hanan H Ahmed Gasmelseed Y Bafaqeer Saleh Al-Jasir Badr Althaqafi Abdulhakeem Acceptance and Adverse Effects of H1N1 Vaccinations Among a Cohort of National Guard Health Care Workers during the 2009 Hajj Season BMC Research Notes |
| title | Acceptance and Adverse Effects of H1N1 Vaccinations Among a Cohort of National Guard Health Care Workers during the 2009 Hajj Season |
| title_full | Acceptance and Adverse Effects of H1N1 Vaccinations Among a Cohort of National Guard Health Care Workers during the 2009 Hajj Season |
| title_fullStr | Acceptance and Adverse Effects of H1N1 Vaccinations Among a Cohort of National Guard Health Care Workers during the 2009 Hajj Season |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acceptance and Adverse Effects of H1N1 Vaccinations Among a Cohort of National Guard Health Care Workers during the 2009 Hajj Season |
| title_short | Acceptance and Adverse Effects of H1N1 Vaccinations Among a Cohort of National Guard Health Care Workers during the 2009 Hajj Season |
| title_sort | acceptance and adverse effects of h1n1 vaccinations among a cohort of national guard health care workers during the 2009 hajj season |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/4/61 |
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