[Acceptance of influenza vaccination by caregivers in a geriatric and long-term care institution].

INTRODUCTION

Seasonal influenza is a viral transmissible infectious disease causing increased morbidity or mortality in frail subjects, especially those living in institutions. Measures to prevent the impact of infectious diseases were proposed based on the use of influenza vaccination among health-care professionals. We wanted to evaluate the acceptance of our institutional vaccination procedure initiated in 2005 and possible improvement.

METHODS

A questionnaire was sent in May 2007 to all health-care professionals (n=730) to identify their current vaccine status in 2006 and their opinion concerning vaccination against influenza in 2007.

RESULTS

Subsequently, 369 (50.2%) responses were obtained. Amongst those responding, 31.7% were vaccinated in 2006, 77.8% using the institutional procedure. Also, 221 (87.7%) nonvaccinated health-care professionals indicated their position concerning influenza vaccination: 37% of them would accept the vaccination in 2007 (on the condition that our current institutional procedure be improved), 63% of them would refuse influenza vaccines in spite of any improvement.

CONCLUSION

Our study emphasizes that the use of an adapted procedure for influenza vaccination among health-care professionals could improve vaccine coverage. It also emphasizes that a margin of those professionals are still reluctant to vaccination.