TY - JOUR
T1 - A health promotion campaign to improve flu vaccination adherence among Italian medical residents
AU - De Meo, Concetta
AU - Poscia, Andrea
AU - De Waure, Chiara
AU - Corsaro, Alice
AU - Anzelmo, Vincenza
AU - Maruccia, Antonio
AU - Santoro, Paolo Emilio
AU - Berloco, Filippo
AU - Damiani, Gianfranco
AU - Laurenti, Patrizia
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Background
In Italy annual flu vaccination is highly recommended for
health care workers (HCW) but coverage is usually unsatisfying.
The compliance is even worse among medical residents
(MRs) and this is shown by both the literature and our
experience: in the flu season 2014-15, only 6 MRs (0.6%) were
vaccinated, three times less than senior colleagues. This study
aims to analyze the impact of a specific campaign put in place
in the last flu season on vaccination coverage among the MRs
of a large Teaching Hospital in Rome.
Methods
During the 2015-16 flu season, the Hospital Management
together with the Occupational Medicine Service started a
campaign to raise the awareness about immunization through
active invitations by personal email and posters in strategic
places. Furthermore they duplicated the locations in which the
MRs could be vaccinated: one in the hospital building, as in
the previous year, and a new site at the occupational
surveillance ambulatory in the University.
Results
99 out of a total number of 1064 MRs (9.3%) belonging to 46
specialties were vaccinated, 8.7% more than in the previous
season (p < 0.001). The highest vaccination coverage was found
among MRs of Hematology and Urology (54.5%) and of
Infectious Diseases units (53.8%). However, in about 50% of
specialties no one was vaccinated. MRs belonging to surgical
specialties showed a lower, but not significant, compliance
with respect to colleagues from medical specialties (6.2% vs
10.9%).
Conclusions
Seasonal flu vaccination among HCWs is important to protect
patients as well as themselves and their loved ones.
Considering that MRs represent the next generation of
HCWs, they should be sensitized about the importance of
preventing the spread of influenza in hospital population. This study highlights an initial and promising increase in MRs flu
vaccination coverage following the introduction of simple
strategies to promote the awareness and uptake of vaccination.
Key message:
A close cooperation between the hospital management and the
occupational medicine service could represent a good start
AB - Background
In Italy annual flu vaccination is highly recommended for
health care workers (HCW) but coverage is usually unsatisfying.
The compliance is even worse among medical residents
(MRs) and this is shown by both the literature and our
experience: in the flu season 2014-15, only 6 MRs (0.6%) were
vaccinated, three times less than senior colleagues. This study
aims to analyze the impact of a specific campaign put in place
in the last flu season on vaccination coverage among the MRs
of a large Teaching Hospital in Rome.
Methods
During the 2015-16 flu season, the Hospital Management
together with the Occupational Medicine Service started a
campaign to raise the awareness about immunization through
active invitations by personal email and posters in strategic
places. Furthermore they duplicated the locations in which the
MRs could be vaccinated: one in the hospital building, as in
the previous year, and a new site at the occupational
surveillance ambulatory in the University.
Results
99 out of a total number of 1064 MRs (9.3%) belonging to 46
specialties were vaccinated, 8.7% more than in the previous
season (p < 0.001). The highest vaccination coverage was found
among MRs of Hematology and Urology (54.5%) and of
Infectious Diseases units (53.8%). However, in about 50% of
specialties no one was vaccinated. MRs belonging to surgical
specialties showed a lower, but not significant, compliance
with respect to colleagues from medical specialties (6.2% vs
10.9%).
Conclusions
Seasonal flu vaccination among HCWs is important to protect
patients as well as themselves and their loved ones.
Considering that MRs represent the next generation of
HCWs, they should be sensitized about the importance of
preventing the spread of influenza in hospital population. This study highlights an initial and promising increase in MRs flu
vaccination coverage following the introduction of simple
strategies to promote the awareness and uptake of vaccination.
Key message:
A close cooperation between the hospital management and the
occupational medicine service could represent a good start
KW - vaccination adherence
KW - vaccination adherence
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/87379
U2 - 10.1093/eurpub/ckw174.228
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckw174.228
M3 - Meeting Abstract
SN - 1101-1262
SP - 419
EP - 420
JO - European Journal of Public Health
JF - European Journal of Public Health
ER -