Changes in the Attitude towards the Seasonal Influenza Vaccine among Unvaccinated Healthcare Workers and Risk Group Persons over Five Years

The aim of the study: To evaluate the attitude towards the influenza vaccine of 2019-2020 unvaccinated health care workers and risk group patients and to determine the changes in this attitude over five years. Study sbjectives: 1. To evaluate the experience of healthcare workers and risk group persons with the vaccination from influenza. 2. To find out the study participants’ opinion on the effectiveness and safety of the influenza vaccine. 3. To assess the position of healthcare workers and risk group persons towards the influenza vaccine for the next season. 4. To determine the changes in the attitude of healthcare workers and risk group persons towards the influenza vaccine over five years. Research methods: as part of the study, 68 healthcare workers and 74 persons, who are classified as being at risk of influenza caused complications, and who visited the “LSMU Hospital Kauno Klinikos, Family Medicine Clinic” and were not vaccinated with the influenza vaccine for 2019-2020 season, were interviewed. The researcher used an anonymous questionnaire, which was designed specifically for this study, to interview the individuals who satisfied the criteria for the research and agreed to participate. The “IBM SPSS Statistics” software was used to analyse the data. The results were then compared with the results of a study on influenza vaccination conducted in the “LSMU Hospital Kauno Klinikos, Family Medicine Clinic” five years ago (the approval of dr. Gediminas Urbonas was obtained). Study participants: healthcare workers who were not vaccinated with the influenza vaccine for 2019-2020 season (doctors, students, nurses, receptionists, supporting staff) and unvaccinated persons, who are classified as belonging to the group at risk of the influenza caused complications: individuals aged 65 and over, individuals with chronic diseases (cardiovascular and lung diseases, bronchial asthma, kidney diseases, diabetes), individuals with immunodeficiency conditions. Results of the study: one third (33.8%) of the risk group persons and 38.2% of healthcare workers, who were not vaccinated with the influenza vaccine for 2019-2020 season, had experience with the influenza vaccination in the past. Statistically significantly more healthcare workers (80.9%) were informed about the opportunity to have the influenza vaccine for free compared to the risk group persons (64,9%) (p 0.05). Conclusions of the study: 1. It was determined that of those who did not have the influenza vaccine for 2019-2020 season, more than one third had it in the past. 2. The opinions on the effectiveness and safety of the influenza vaccine were different between the two groups of respondents who were not vaccinated for 2019-2020 season: significantly more healthcare workers agreed that the vaccine is both effective and safe compared to the risk group persons (p0,05). 4. There was no significant changes in the attitude towards the influenza vaccination among the unvaccinated healthcare workers and risk group persons over five years (p>0,05)