Most HCP agree with employer-mandated flu vaccination policies

Nearly 73% of health care personnel in the United States approve of mandatory influenza vaccination policies enforced by employers, according to recent data.

In a letter published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, Marie A. de Perio, MD, infectious disease specialist in the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and colleagues reported that mandatory influenza vaccination policies are becoming more common in U.S. health care facilities. Results from two nationally representative surveys demonstrated a 24% increase in hospitals, from 37.1% in 2013 to 61.4% in 2017. However, de Perio and colleagues said there are concerns with these mandatory policies.

“The duty of [health care personnel (HCP)] to protect the health of individual patients and the public competes with their right to personal autonomy,” they wrote. “Mandates also invoke legal issues, including the applicability of state and federal constitutional laws and statutes.”

To better understand how HCP perceive mandatory vaccination policies, de Perio and colleagues examined responses of an opt-in internet panel survey distributed to HCP nationwide during the 2016-2017 influenza season. Overall, 72.9% of 2,438 survey respondents agreed with the statement, “Health care workers should be required to be vaccinated for flu.” This is an increase from a 2010 online research panel survey, which showed that only 57.4% of HCP agreed with mandatory vaccination, according to the researchers.

Physicians (85.7%), nurse practitioners/physician assistants (81%) and pharmacists (80.6%) were more likely to be in favor of mandatory vaccination than nonclinical HCP (75.7%), nurses (73.7%), assistants/aides (69.9%) or other clinical HCP such as technicians (67.4%).

More than 78.6% of respondents reported being vaccinated against influenza at the time of the survey and 42.3% reported working in a facility that required vaccination. Most vaccinated respondents (83.5%) agreed with mandatory vaccination rules, compared with only 33.9% of unvaccinated respondents. Among unvaccinated participants in favor of mandatory vaccination, 15.7% responded, “I just don’t want the vaccine,” 18% said they were not vaccinated because they “haven’t gotten around to it” and 14.1% said their employer did not require vaccination. These findings suggest that employer requirements could increase influenza vaccination coverage, according to the researchers.

“Wider adoption of employer vaccination requirements in all health care settings has support, can increase HCP influenza vaccination, and may reduce influenza transmission in health care settings,” they concluded. “Interventions known to improve coverage, such as educating workers and offering vaccine on site, at no cost and during work hours, should be implemented.” - by Stephanie Viguers

References:

de Perio MA, et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2018;doi:10.1017/ice.2018.111.

Greene MT, et al. JAMA. 2018;doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.0143.

Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.