Introduction
Vaccination is an important cost-effective measure for preparing against influenza. CDC advises all healthcare providers to receive flu vaccination annually. However, uptake rate of flu vaccination was low among nurses worldwide. In Hong Kong, it was even lower, less than 30% in HA hospitals in 2017/2018. It is crucial to investigate the factors that influence nurses’ attitude and perception towards flu vaccination.
Objectives
This study aimed to identify factors associated with nurses’ intention to influenza vaccination and their risk perception towards influenza and vaccination.
Methodology
A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in January to February 2018. 300 nurses, who worked in Tseung Kwan O hospital, were recruited by convenience sampling from 12 departments. Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were used.
Results & Outcome
Response rate was 91.6%. For the coming year, 66 (24.6%) respondents were willing to receive influenza vaccine, 133 (49.6%) refused to be vaccinated, and 69 (25.7%) were undecided. For respondents who refused vaccination, factors “the flu vaccine may not be safe” (40.6%) and “the vaccine may not good for health” (21.1%) were statistically significant associated with outcome with p-value ≤ .05. In adjusted logistic regression model, variables related to the intention of vaccination were “Previous experience of vaccination” (OR=62.69, 95% CI [15.69-250.53]), “Taking seasonal influenza vaccination could effectively protect me from being infected with influenza” (OR=48.34, 95%CI [9.97-234.5]) and “likelihood of being infected in the coming influenza season” (OR=3.34, 95%CI [1.03-10.82]). These results facilitated 2018/19 flu vaccination promulgation strategies. Education and promotion activities which focus on vaccination safety and effectiveness were implemented. Information sessions about flu vaccination for new joint staff were arranged. Emphasizing the likelihood of contracting influenza can increase awareness and vaccination uptake rate among nurses. Flu vaccination uptake rate among nurses increased from 34.8% in 2017/2018 to 52.5% in 2018/2019. Conclusion: Exploring the factors which influence nurses’ attitude and perceptions towards flu vaccination is important. These research findings facilitated the planning and implementation of flu vaccination promulgation strategies. Higher uptake rate of influenza vaccination among nurses was obtained when compared with previous year.
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