Review article

Health Care Workers and Influenza Vaccination

Rok Čivljak ; Klinika za infektivne bolesti ''Dr. Fran Mihaljević''

Abstract

Vaccination is the best way to prevent the influenza virus infection, as well as development of the disease and its complications. As antigens of circulating seasonal and vaccination strains are similar, vaccination prevents influenza in 70-90% of vaccinated and previously healthy adults. Vaccination reduces sick leave rates, use of health care services, consumption of antibiotics and the rate of complications, hospitalization and influenza-related mortality. Since 2010 vaccination has been recommended in the USA to all persons ≥6 months of age and without any contraindications. As health care workers may spread the virus during the influenza epidemic to other persons, their family members and/or their patients, they also bear some responsibility for spreading influenza in health care institutions. High vaccination rates among health care workers indirectly protect those patients who have not been vaccinated for any reason whatsoever and they also reduce sick leave rates and staff absence during a sensitive period of seasonal influenza epidemic. However, to prevent the spread of influenza in health care institutions, vaccination rates among health care workers should exceed 80%. Despite a big campaign focused on the promotion of vaccination during the influenza pandemic in 2009, a mere 20% of adults in the USA got vaccinated against the pandemic influenza virus. The fact that less than a half of health care workers agreed to get vaccinated is even worse. The pandemic, however, resulted in higher vaccination rates among health care workers, but only as far as vaccination against seasonal influenza is concerned (from 43% to 61%). On the other hand, only 37% were vaccinated against pandemic H1N1 virus in the USA that same year. In Croatia, vaccination rates recorded in individual groups of health care workers in 2007 ranged from 10% to 90%, with the average vaccination rate among all workers of 26%. In 2009, i.e. during the influenza pandemic, vaccination rates also increased in Croatian hospitals, however only those for vaccination against seasonal influenza. As satisfactory vaccination rates among health care workers were not achieved through voluntary vaccination, mandatory vaccination against influenza, just as that against other infectious diseases, is being introduced on the global level. To increase vaccination rates, public campaigns should be carried out and competent health care institutions should define clear professional guidelines emphasizing the necessity of vaccination. The refusal of vaccination by health care workers creates unease and mistrust in the health care system among citizens and sets a bad example. If health care workers continue to refuse and avoid vaccination, it will not be surprising if citizens lose confidence in vaccination as an effective tool to prevent infectious diseases.

Keywords

influenza; health care workers; hospital staff; prevention; vaccination

Hrčak ID:

77364

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/77364

Publication date:

3.1.2011.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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