[Seasonal and pandemic A (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccination coverage among health-care workers in a French university hospital].

The aim of this study was to highlight the perceived risk, behavioural changes and acceptance of the seasonal and pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccine by healthcare workers in a French teaching hospital. We surveyed healthcare workers from the Angers French teaching hospital (CHU) using a cross-sectional intercept design during phase 5A of the French National Plan for the Prevention and Control of the 2009 "Pandemic Influenza". Professionals were asked to take the survey in their workplace from November 2009 to February 2010. The primary endpoint was immunization coverage among healthcare workers who had contact with at-risk patients. Among the 532 workers responding, 22.3% were vaccinated against seasonal influenza and 36.5% against H1N1 influenza. The immunization coverage rate was significantly higher among physicians. For seasonal influenza, the 2 most-cited reasons for vaccination were "to protect the patient" and "to avoid getting sick"; arguments against vaccination were "I never get the flu" or "getting vaccinated is inconvenient and takes too long". For the pandemic A (H1N1) 2009 flu, the arguments for vaccination were "to protect the patient" and "to protect the family"; arguments against vaccination were linked to vaccine safety. Vaccination coverage against seasonal influenza was lower than that reported in the literature, possibly because of the time required between vaccination for pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza and seasonal influenza and the priority often given to vaccination against H1N1. This study emphasizes the lack of perception of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza severity and lack of understanding about the process of developing the seasonal and H1N1 influenza vaccines. Concerns about safety, the possibility of side effects and the vaccine development process need to be addressed. An information campaign stressing the necessity for healthcare workers to be vaccinated must be strengthened.