Obstetrics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Obstetrics, including details on caesarean delivery, child birth, labour.

Attitudes and knowledge regarding influenza vaccination among hospital health workers caring for women and children.

Esposito S, Tremolati E, Bellasio M, Chiarelli G, Marchisio P, Tiso B, Mosca F, Pardi G, Principi N,

Department for the Health of Women and Children, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Milan, Italy.

This cross-sectional study of 340 obstetrics/gynecology, 123 neonatology, and 244 pediatric health care workers (HCWs) was designed to evaluate compliance with recommendations concerning the use of influenza vaccine during pregnancy and among pediatric subjects. The results clearly show that only a marginal number of the HCWs in all three fields currently recommend vaccine use for pregnant women and healthy young children. Moreover, all of the HCWs were seriously deficient in terms of their general knowledge of influenza prevention and their own personal vaccination coverage was low. Extensive and sustained efforts to overcome cultural limitations concerning influenza and its prevention are urgently required among HCWs caring for women and children in order to ensure effective compliance with the current recommendations.

Published 2 July 2007 in Vaccine, 25(29): 5283-9.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Obstetrics Research Today. All Rights Reserved.