RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study was to determine how much staff at the Clermont-Ferrand university hospital, France, knew about influenza and its relation with the vaccinal rate. The other aim was to develop better-targeted information campaigns and prevention policy in the work place. DESIGN: A self-administered questionnaire was sent to the 7601 salaried staff of the hospital in May 2005. The staff was asked to give details on socioprofessional characteristics, vaccinal status, and knowledge about the influenza virus (mode of transmission, contagiousness, measures of prevention, populations affected, mortality, vaccination schedule, and vaccination target populations). Multiple-choice questions on knowledge of influenza were scored according to the answer given. RESULTS: The response rate was 26.5%. The 2011 completed questionnaires were representative of the working staff. They showed a positive correlation between the rate of vaccination and knowledge of influenza, with a 0.98 coefficient. They also showed that the staff was very largely unaware of population groups most at risk for influenza (1% of correct answers). CONCLUSIONS: Primary prevention campaigns will only be effective if the target population has a better awareness of the issues involved. This study highlights the areas in which knowledge was heterogeneous or inadequate, and the information that could be decisive in increasing vaccinal coverage among staff. This information should focus on modes of transmission, contagiousness, mortality, and above all on populations at risk.