Pandemic A(H1N1)2009 influenza vaccination in Lyon University Hospitals, France: perception and attitudes of hospital workers

Abstract

Health-care authorities encouraged A(H1N1)2009 influenza vaccination for all hospital workers because of their high risk of contracting and transmitting the virus. Six months after the vaccination campaign began, an electronic anonymous questionnaire was completed by 1630 among 14,000 hospital workers (11.6%). Vaccination rate was 54.3%. Independent predictors for vaccination acceptance were advanced age (OR=1.61-2.19), being a physician (OR=5.07), working in gynaecology-obstetrics or podiatry (OR=1.62), and having been informed about vaccination (OR=2.78). The main reasons for getting vaccinated were to avoid flu for relatives (82.4%), themselves (65.8%) and patients (57.1%). Arguments against vaccination were lack of sufficient studies of the vaccine (75.7%) and the perception of A(H1N1)2009 influenza as a benign disease (51.5%). Vaccination coverage would be insufficient to keep the health-care system operating at maximum capacity during a severe pandemic disease, and to avoid nosocomial transmission of influenza. These results suggest a better-targeted vaccination campaign.