Anti-Herpes Zoster Vaccination of Fragile Patients in Hospital Setting: A Nudge Intervention in Italy.

BACKGROUND: A nudge intervention against Herpes Zoster, created and implemented in Italy, is presented in order to administer the Shingrix vaccine on a sample of frail patients, as required by the National Prevention Plan. Individual and contextual factors associated with vaccine adherence were investigated. METHOD: 300 frail adult subjects underwent a full vaccine cycle with recombinant-Shingrix vaccine (RZV vaccine). Hospital Presidia of the Salerno University Hospital Authority, a Hospital Presidium of the Salerno Local Health Authority, and the Public Health Laboratory of the University of Salerno (Campania) participated in the intervention. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered with the following scales: EQ-5D, PSS-10, MSPSS, and representations of HZ and its consequences. RESULTS: Some variables, such as peer support, doctor-patient relationship, level of education, and perception of health, are important in vaccine adherence and information processing. The following factors emerged from the factor analysis: Trust in collective knowledge and collective responsibility (F1); beliefs about virus risk and vaccine function (F2); information about virus and symptomatology (F3); and vaccine distrust (F4). Factor 4 correlates negatively with social support indices (R = -0.363; p < 0.001). There is a significant relationship between factor 3 and satisfaction with national information campaigns (F = 3.376; gdl = 5; p-value = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Future vaccination campaigns should be built with the aim of personalizing information and developing contextualized strategies, starting from understanding the stakeholders involved, cultural contexts, and organizational settings.

Individual and Contextual Determinants of Flu Vaccination Adherence: A University Nudge Intervention.

INTRODUCTION: The University of Salerno has implemented a nudge intervention with the aim of promoting vaccine adherence among employees of academia and identifying individual and contextual determinants that influence adherence. METHOD: A purpose-built questionnaire was used during the reference period of October-December 2022 in order to assess levels of state anxiety (STAI-Y1), perceived stress (PSS-10), and public sentiments, which influence vaccination behavior, with consequences for the whole population (VCI). RESULTS: Analysis of the results revealed a difference in mean scores on the PSS: those who have always adhered to the vaccination campaign compared to those who have never been vaccinated perceived higher levels of stress (12.01 vs. 11.33; F = 4.744, p = 0.031); furthermore, there was a relationship between the presence/absence of pathologies and VCI (F = 3,93; df = 1; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The University of Salerno's nudge intervention made its employees more responsible for protecting the health of the academic community and encouraged good adherence to the flu vaccination campaign. University employees, equipped with high cultural tools, sought information primarily from institutional sources indicated by the university during the free vaccination campaign at the university's vaccine center.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Campaign: Risk Perception, Emotional States, and Vaccine Hesitancy in a Sample of Adolescents' Vaccinated Parents in Southern Italy.

BACKGROUND: The international strategic plan for COVID-19 vaccines remains the practical option for the protection of health. However, vaccine hesitancy remains an obstacle to full population vaccination, with rapid developments in COVID-19 vaccines and concerns about efficacy acting as influencing factors. AIM: The present study investigated the perception of vaccine hesitancy among parents of adolescents in order to explore the reasons and related emotional states. METHODS: In January-March 2022, an online questionnaire was administered to a sample of parents who brought their children to the vaccine center of a local health unit, ASL Salerno (Campania, Italy). RESULTS: The participants were 1105 parents (F = 64.6%; mean age = 47.37 years, SD = 7.52) of adolescents (F = 47.6%; mean age = 14.83 years, SD = 1.72). All parents had received the COVID-19 vaccine. Regarding the vaccination schedule, 46.8% believed that children receive more vaccinations than they should; 25.1% believed that it is better to develop immunity rather than get vaccinated; 41.2% believed that their child could have side effects; 29.6% were very concerned that vaccines were unsafe, while 35.3% believed vaccines do not prevent disease; 21.5% were very reluctant about pediatric vaccines; and 23.8% did not trust the information received. CONCLUSIONS: In order to increase vaccination and reduce the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy, it is essential to support the value of vaccination among all parents and make information more accessible and usable through competent pediatricians.