Acceptability of pandemic A(H1N1) influenza vaccination by Essential Community Workers in 2010 Alicante (Spain), perceived seriousness and sources of information.
OBJECTIVE
Describe acceptability of pandemic A(H1N1) influenza vaccination by Essential Community Workers (ECWs) from Alicante province (Spain) in January 2010. Evaluate the correlation with attitudes, beliefs, professional advice and information broadcasted by media.


METHOD
In this cross-sectional study, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 742 ECWs to assess their attitudes towards vaccination against the pandemic influenza strain. A multivariable regression model was made to adjust the Odds Ratios (ORs).


RESULTS
Some ECWs reported having been vaccinated with seasonal vaccine, 21.5% (95%IC 18.6-24.9); only 15.4% (95%IC 12.8-18.4) with the pandemic one. ECWs vaccinated regularly against seasonal flu (OR 5.1; 95%IC 2.9-9.1), those who considered pandemic influenza as a severe or more serious disease than seasonal flu (OR 3.8; 95%IC 2.1-6.7) and those who never had doubts about vaccine safety (OR 3.7; 95%IC2.1-6.7) had a better acceptance of pandemic vaccine. Finally, 78.7% (95%IC 75.1-81.4) had doubts about pandemic vaccine's effectiveness.


CONCLUSION
The vast amount of information provided by the media did not seem to be decisive to prevent doubts or to improve the acceptability of the vaccine in ECWs. Professional advice should be the focus of interest in future influenza vaccination campaigns. These results should be taken into account by health authorities.
['Caballero|Pablo|P|', 'Tuells|José|J|', 'Duro-Torrijos|José Luis|JL|', 'Nolasco|Andreu|A|']
D054626:Consumer Health Information D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D061388:Firefighters D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice D006293:Health Promotion D006801:Humans D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype D007252:Influenza Vaccines D007251:Influenza, Human D058873:Pandemics D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care D016495:Police D011320:Primary Health Care D011330:Prisons D012946:Social Welfare D013030:Spain D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D000078329:Workforce
Vaccine Essential Community Worker ECW Health behavior Influenza A(H1N1) Information sources