Skepticism toward Emerging Infectious Diseases and Influenza Vaccination Intentions in Nurses

Maridor, Mathieu; Ruch, Simon; Bangerter, Adrian; Emery, Véronique (2017). Skepticism toward Emerging Infectious Diseases and Influenza Vaccination Intentions in Nurses. Journal of health communication, 22(5), pp. 386-394. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group 10.1080/10810730.2017.1296509

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Nurses generally show low compliance with vaccination recommendations. We assessed whether low vaccine acceptance is due to skeptical attitudes toward emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). Skepticism toward EIDs manifests as doubts about the real threat of emerging diseases and as distrust in the motives and the competence of institutions that fight these diseases. We performed a cross-sectional questionnaire study in 293 Swiss nurses using a newly developed scale to assess skepticism toward EIDs. Skepticism affected nurses’ intentions to vaccinate themselves against seasonal influenza and against possible future pandemic influenza. The influence of skepticism persisted after controlling for other factors that are known to determine nurses’ vaccination behavior, namely vaccination habits, feeling at risk of catching influenza, and perceiving vaccination as a professional duty. Skeptical attitudes toward EIDs seem to have a unique and hitherto ignored impact on vaccination intentions. Nurses’ vaccine acceptance could be increased if vaccination campaigns specifically target skeptical attitudes toward EIDs. These campaigns should address nurses’ doubts about the real threat of EIDs and should rebuild their trust in institutions which fight these diseases.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Psychological and Behavioral Health

UniBE Contributor:

Ruch, Simon

Subjects:

100 Philosophy > 150 Psychology
600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

1087-0415

Publisher:

Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group

Language:

English

Submitter:

Simon Ruch

Date Deposited:

10 Aug 2017 16:54

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:05

Publisher DOI:

10.1080/10810730.2017.1296509

PubMed ID:

28375808

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.99304

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/99304

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