Public perceptions in relation to intention to receive pandemic influenza vaccination in a random population sample: evidence from a cross-sectional telephone survey.

A cross-sectional telephone survey on a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Greek households was performed to assess the acceptability of the pandemic influenza A(H1N1)v vaccine, factors associated with intention to decline and stated reasons for declining vaccination. The survey was initiated the last week of August 2009 (week 35) and is still ongoing (analysis up to week 44). The percentage of participants answering they would probably not/definitely not accept the vaccine increased from 47.1% in week 35 to 63.1% in week 44 (test for trend: p<0.001). More than half of the people which chronic illnesses (53.3%) indicated probably not/definitely not. Factors associated with intention to decline vaccination were female sex, age between 30-64 years, perception of low likelihood of getting infected or of low risk associated with influenza, and absence of household members suffering from chronic illnesses. For the majority of the respondents (59.8%), the main reason for intending to decline vaccination was the belief that the vaccine might not be safe. Promotion of vaccination programmes should be designed taking into account the attitudinal barriers to the pandemic vaccine.