Study: Immunization Initiative Did Not Increase Overall Influenza Vaccination Rates

Tags: APIC | infection control | vaccination

Public health leadership, intensive employer promotion activities and state-required declinations may be insufficient to increase influenza vaccination rates among healthcare practitioners, according to a study in the American Journal of Infection Control.

Researchers studied a public health intervention to increase influenza immunization among healthcare practitioners. The intervention occurred in San Diego from 2005 to 2008. They found that hospitals increased promotion activities and had higher vaccination rates between 2006 and 2008. Healthcare practitioners whose employers provided free vaccination and healthcare practitioners who believed their employers mandated influenza vaccine had higher vaccination rates.

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However, population-based surveys of healthcare practitioners did not show significant increases in influenza vaccination. The researchers suggested policymakers and employers consider vaccination mandates for healthcare practitioners.

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