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Mourad N, Mourad L, Hammoudi Halat D, Farah Z, Hendaus M, El Sayed Trad I, El Akel M, Safwan J, Rahal M, Younes S. Factors Affecting Influenza Vaccination Uptake and Attitudes among Lebanese University Students: The Impact of Vaccination Promotional Programs and COVID-19 Pandemic. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11050949. [PMID: 37243053 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11050949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccination is the most effective preventative strategy against influenza, yet university students' influenza vaccination uptake remains low. This study aimed firstly to determine the percentage of university students who were vaccinated for the 2015-2016 influenza season and to identify reasons for non-vaccination, and secondly to examine the impact of external factors (on-campus/online influenza awareness campaigns and COVID-19 pandemic) on their influenza vaccination uptake and attitudes for the 2017-2018 and 2021-2022 influenza seasons. A descriptive study was conducted over three phases for three influenza seasons at a Lebanese university in the Bekaa Region. Based on data collected in 2015-2016, promotional activities were developed and implemented for the other influenza seasons. This study was conducted using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire by students. The majority of the respondents in the three studies did not receive the influenza vaccine (89.2% in the 2015-2016 study, 87.3% in the 2017-2018 study, and 84.7% in the 2021-2022 study). Among the unvaccinated respondents, the main reason for non-vaccination was that they thought that they did not need it. The primary reason for vaccination among those who were vaccinated was that they believed they were at risk of catching influenza in a 2017-2018 study and due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2021-2022 study. As for attitudes towards influenza vaccination post-COVID-19, significant differences were shown among the vaccinated and unvaccinated respondents. The vaccination rates among university students remained low despite of the awareness campaigns and COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisreen Mourad
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
- INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Épidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie-Liban, Beirut 1103, Lebanon
| | - Lidia Mourad
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
| | - Dalal Hammoudi Halat
- Academic Quality Department, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
| | - Zeina Farah
- Epidemiological Surveillance Program, Ministry of Public Health, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mohamed Hendaus
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
| | - Israa El Sayed Trad
- Global Health Institute Department, American University of Beirut, Beirut 11-0236, Lebanon
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
| | - Marwan El Akel
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
- School of Education, Lebanese International University, Beirut 14404, Lebanon
- INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Épidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie-Liban, Beirut 1103, Lebanon
- International Pharmaceutical Federation, 2517 JP The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Jihan Safwan
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
- INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Épidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie-Liban, Beirut 1103, Lebanon
| | - Mohamad Rahal
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
| | - Samar Younes
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese International University, Lebanon
- INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Épidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie-Liban, Beirut 1103, Lebanon
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Souza FDO, Werneck GL, Pinho PDS, Teixeira JRB, Lua I, Araújo TMD. [Influenza vaccine hesitancy among health workers, Bahia State, Brazil]. CAD SAUDE PUBLICA 2022; 38:e00098521. [PMID: 35107509 DOI: 10.1590/0102-311x00098521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization acknowledges vaccine hesitancy as one of the ten most serious global health threats. The study investigated the association between confidence, convenience, and complacency and influenza vaccine hesitancy among male and female health workers. The study included 453 workers in primary and medium-complexity health services in a medium-sized city in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Vaccine-hesitant individuals were defined as those who had not received an influenza vaccine in 2019. Structural equation models were used to assess interrelations between target predictive variables and vaccine hesitancy. One-fourth of the workers (25.4%) hesitated to be vaccinated for influenza. Lower confidence (standardized coefficient - SC = 0.261; p = 0.044) and higher complacency (SC = 0.256; p < 0.001) were significantly associated with vaccine hesitancy. Convenience was not associated with vaccine hesitancy. Workers not involved in patient care, workers in medium-complexity services, and male workers reported less receptiveness from the health professional administering the vaccines. Fear of needles was associated with both lower confidence and greater vaccine hesitancy. History of vaccine reactions was not associated directly with vaccine hesitancy, but it was associated with greater complacency, that is, less perception of risk from vaccine-preventable diseases. Since annual influenza vaccination is recommended, influenza vaccine hesitancy can increase the burden of this disease in the population. The data back the hypothesis that factors related to confidence and complacency produce harms in this vaccine´s acceptance and should be considered in the development of strategies and actions for greater adherence to vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda de Oliveira Souza
- Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Feira de Santana, Brasil.,Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, Brasil
| | | | | | | | - Iracema Lua
- Instituto de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brasil
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