Influenza vaccination and infection rates among health care workers: Results of a survey from a German university hospital, 2014/2015

Background and Objectives::

The annual influenza seasons cause acute infections in hospitalised patients and health care workers, which can be reduced by seasonal influenza vaccination of medical staff. Keeping continuous motivation of health care workers to receive the annual vaccine is a challenge for hospital management and infection control unit. The main objective of this survey was to analyse vaccination rates and attitudes towards vaccination among health care workers. Furthermore the frequency of acute respiratory infections and related risk factors in the influenza season 2014/2015 were examined.

Method::

A cross-sectional study was conducted among health care workers of a German university hospital using anonymised questionnaires.

Results::

The overall self-reported vaccination rate was 55%. Vaccine uptake was higher in physicians (72%) than in nursing staff (45%). Most vaccinations were conducted early in the season, provided by medical staff on the wards. Self-reported lost work-time due to adverse events after vaccination was low (0.6%). Eight categories for vaccine refusal were identified, whereof doubts about effectiveness and indication was the most relevant (36%). Probable influenza was described by 9.5% of the participants.

Conclusions::

Future efforts to promote vaccination should focus on nursing staff and should include education on influenza and provide evidence for the benefits of vaccination in healthcare settings. Administering vaccines on wards proved to be a successful strategy. Uncertainty of causative agents for respiratory infections in health care workers requires more rigorous application of diagnostic tools to enable nosocomial disease surveillance and vaccine effectiveness estimations.