Determinants of the 2009 pandemic influenza risk perception and vaccine acceptance by health workers in tertiary hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria
Health workers world-wide were known to be a high risk group for contracting the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A and were given priority for vaccination against the disease. Because influenza vaccination in Nigeria was a relatively new development, and no studies of risk perception and predictors of vaccine acceptability had been documented, this study was undertaken.
METHODS:
Data were collected from 267 health workers from the two tertiary health facilities in Lagos on pandemic H1N1 influenza A knowledge, risk perception and vaccine acceptability; using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Knowledge was quantified based on responses to a set of questions addressing aetiology, clinical features, transmission, virulence etc. Associations between selected independent variables, knowledge, risk perception and vaccine acceptability were evaluated with the chi-square test. Significant variables were subsequently evaluated with the unconditional multiple logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS:
Less than half (43.4%) had adequate knowledge about the disease and (33.5%) perceived themselves not to be at risk of the infection. Fifty-three (19.9%) expressed unwillingness to receive the vaccine. The main reason for unwillingness was uncertainly about vaccine safety (51%). Factors positively associated with willingness were knowledge about the disease (OR 2.4, 95% CI, 2.1-4.8) and household size (OR= 2.1, 95% CI, 1.2- 4.0). Multivariate analysis did not show statistically significant relationship between risk perception and willingness to receive the vaccine.
CONCLUSIONS: Health workers in Nigeria are generally concerned about the safety of influenza vaccines and have limited knowledge on the disease. Since knowledge is a major determinant of acceptability, in-service training programmes for health workers should include influenza as a component and should be intensified to give reassurance about vaccine safety.