Making influenza vaccination mandatory for health care workers: the views of NSW Health administrators and clinical leaders.

The challenges of maintaining high influenza vaccination rates in health care workers have focused worldwide attention on mandatory measures. In 2007, NSW Health issued a policy directive requiring health care workers to be screened/vaccinated for certain infectious diseases. Annual influenza vaccine continued to be recommended but not required. This paper describes the views of NSW Health administrators and clinical leaders about adding influenza vaccination to the requirements. Of 55 staff interviewed, 45 provided a direct response. Of these, 23 supported inclusion, 14 did not and eight were undecided. Analysis of interviews indicated that successfully adding influenza vaccination to the current policy directive would require four major issues to be addressed: (1) providing and communicating a solid evidence base supporting the policy directive; (2) addressing the concerns of staff about the vaccine; (3) ensuring staff understand the need to protect patients; and (4) addressing the logistical challenges of enforcing an annual vaccination.

Australian caregivers' perceptions of influenza vaccination in pregnancy: A mixed methods exploration.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women and their unborn children are at high risk from both pandemic and seasonal influenza. AIM: To explore views about influenza vaccination during pregnancy, in a pandemic and immediate post-pandemic context, among mothers and other carers of young children. METHODS: In a mixed methods study, caregivers from 16 childcare centres in Sydney, Australia, were surveyed in November and December 2009, and interviews were conducted with caregivers from six childcare centres between June 2009 and May 2011. FINDINGS: Emerging themes from 41 interviews conducted with mothers included: 'pregnancy as a protected state', 'risk negotiation' and 'centrality of healthcare worker interaction'. Of 972 surveys distributed, 431 were completed (a response rate of 44%). Respondents perceived pandemic influenza risks to be greater for pregnant women than for their unborn children. Only 2% (9/383) of women reported being vaccinated against swine flu during pregnancy and 45% (168/383) indicated intent to receive swine flu vaccination in a future pregnancy. DISCUSSION: The low rates of maternal influenza vaccination revealed in this study contrast to recent gains in vaccine uptake. Vaccination decision-making in pregnancy can be complex and contextually driven for some women. Healthcare workers, including midwives, have a key role in addressing women's concerns about maternal influenza vaccination in both pandemic and interpandemic periods. CONCLUSIONS: Policy makers need to be cognisant of women's concerns and develop resources for both pregnant women and healthcare workers as part of both future pandemic planning and seasonal vaccination efforts.

Much ado about flu: A mixed methods study of parental perceptions, trust and information seeking in a pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Effective public health messaging is essential in both the planning phase and duration of a pandemic. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to gain an understanding of parental information seeking, trusted sources and needs in relation to pandemic influenza A 2009 (pH1N1) to inform future policy planning and resource development. PATIENTS/METHODS: We conducted a mixed methods study; parents from 16 childcare centres in Sydney, Australia, were surveyed between 16 November and 9 December 2009, and interviews were conducted with participants from six childcare centres between June 2009 and May 2011. RESULTS: From 972 surveys distributed, 431 were completed; a response rate of 44%. Most parents (90%) reported that doctors were "trusted a lot" as a source of influenza information, followed by nurses (59%), government (56%) and childcare centres (52%). Less trusted sources included media (7% selected "trusted a lot"), antivaccination groups (6%) and celebrities (1%). Parents identified a range of key search terms for influenza infection and vaccine. From 42 in-depth interviews, key themes were as follows: "Action trigger," "In an emergency, think Emergency," "Fright to hype" and "Dr Google and beyond." Parents relied heavily on media messages, but cynicism emerged when the pandemic was milder than expected. Parents viewed a range of information sources as trustworthy, including doctors, authoritative hospital or government websites, and childcare centres and schools. CONCLUSIONS: A user-centred orientation is vital for pandemic communications including tailored information provision, via trusted sources based on what parents want to know and how they can find it.