Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Julia Neufeind, Ronja Wenchel, Birte Boedeker, Sabine Wicker, Ole Wichmann
Summary: Health-care workers, particularly physicians and nurses, in German hospitals have low influenza vaccine uptake rates. Physicians are more likely to get vaccinated due to easier access, while nurses may lack confidence in vaccines. The OKaPII monitoring system provides valuable insights for targeted interventions to improve vaccination coverage among hospital staff.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Jonas Herzberg, Tanja Vollmer, Bastian Fischer, Heiko Becher, Ann-Kristin Becker, Human Honarpisheh, Salman Yousuf Guraya, Tim Strate, Cornelius Knabbe
Summary: In this study, a longitudinal observational study was conducted among employees at a secondary care hospital affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study compared the humoral immune response after natural infection or vaccination with different vaccines. The results showed that two doses of BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine resulted in a 100% humoral response rate. The antibody response after one dose of BNT162b2 or Vaxzevria was not significantly different from that after previous PCR-confirmed infection, but significantly lower than that after two doses of BioNTech/Pfizer. Smoking had a negative effect on the antibody response.
Review
Immunology
Christopher J. Peterson, Benjamin Lee, Kenneth Nugent
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated vaccine have brought attention to vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers. Reasons for hesitancy include concerns about safety and efficacy, mistrust of government and institutions, waiting for more data, and feeling that personal rights are being infringed upon. Being a physician, having more advanced education, and previous vaccination habits are frequently associated with vaccine acceptance.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Ragavi Jeyakumar, Bindu Patel, Julieann Coombes, Ty Madden, Rohina Joshi
Summary: This study aimed to explore the current functioning and sustainability of Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) in NSW primary health care. The study found that there are five key categories of change required to ensure AHW sustainability: community connection, recognition, value, support, and an inclusive health system. These categories are influenced by factors at both the service and system levels.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Maryam Darvishian, Maryam Sharafkhah, Zahra Mohammadi, Khosro Sadeghniiat-haghighi, Alireza Abdollahi, Mohamadreza Jafary, Mona Talaschian, Payam Tabarsi, Parvaneh Baghai, Masoud Mardani, Amaneh Shayanrad, Fatemeh Shafighian, Melineh Markarian, Farzin Roozafzai, Mohammad Zamani, Saba Alvand, Sanam Hariri, Anahita Sadeghi, Hossein Poustchi, Reza Malekzadeh
Summary: This study evaluated the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers in five hospitals in Tehran, Iran, from April to June 2020. The study found a higher prevalence in private hospitals compared to public hospitals, with the highest rates among assistant nurses and nurses. PPE usage was notably low among healthcare workers in private hospitals.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Zhenzhen Zhang, Shuangshuang Wang, Chao Miao, Mingzhu Su, Tao Chen, Nengliang Aaron Yao
Summary: This study found that DCWs in hospitals in China have lower turnover intention compared to DCWs in LTCFs. Additionally, contracted DCWs in hospitals had the lowest turnover intention. Contracted and noncontracted DCWs in LTCFs were more likely to report turnover intention than hospital contracted DCWs.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Saher Siddiqui, Angelika Morris, Daniel J. Ikeda, Satchit Balsari, Laura Blanke, Miriam Pearsall, Roxanna Rodriguez, Shekhar Saxena, Benjamin F. Miller, Vikram Patel, John A. Naslund
Summary: This article summarizes promising examples of community-initiated care (CIC) projects implemented outside of the research context. Key drivers for scaling up include sustainable financing and human resources, addressing social determinants and stigma, engaging diverse stakeholders, leveraging existing healthcare infrastructure, using sustainable training models, ensuring cultural relevance and appropriateness, and utilizing digital technologies.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Nathan Sumarsono, Rebecca L. Sudore, Alexander K. Smith, Steven Z. Pantilat, Wendy G. Anderson, Anil N. Makam
Summary: The study examines the availability of palliative care programs in long-term acute care hospitals in the United States, finding that while a significant number of hospitals have such programs, there is still a shortage of palliative care physicians in these settings.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Gulshan Umbreen, Abdul Rehman, Muhammad Avais, Chanda Jabeen, Shakera Sadiq, Rubab Maqsood, Hamad Bin Rashid, Saira Afzal, Richard J. Webby, Mamoona Chaudhry
Summary: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, practice, and barriers associated with influenza vaccination among healthcare professionals (HCPs) at tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan. The study found that more than half of the HCPs had a high level of knowledge, a positive attitude, and good practice towards influenza vaccination, yet the vaccination rate remained low. Major barriers for influenza vaccination included unfamiliarity with vaccine availability, insufficient staff for administering the vaccine, lack of proper storage, safety concerns, and high cost of the vaccine.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Shikha Jain, Serena R. Dhaon, Shivani Majmudar, Laura J. Zimmermann, Lisa Mordell, Garth Walker, Amisha Wallia, Halleh Akbarnia, Ali Khan, Eve Bloomgarden, Vineet M. Arora
Summary: This article describes the effectiveness of a place-based strategy employed by a coordinated group of Chicago healthcare workers on social media to combat misinformation and improve vaccination rates in their communities.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Angela K. Ulrich, Grace K. Pankratz, Bruno Bohn, Stephanie Yendell, Timothy J. Beebe, Craig W. Hedberg, Ryan T. Demmer
Summary: A survey conducted in Minnesota showed that the majority of healthcare workers are supportive of COVID-19 vaccination, primarily to protect themselves and their families. Safety concerns were the most common reasons cited by unvaccinated individuals, with a significant proportion reporting prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Aysegul Ertugrul, Eyup Sari, Nazli Gulenc, Serap Ozmen
Summary: The study evaluated the rates of influenza vaccination among healthcare workers in a children's hospital in Ankara, Turkey, as well as factors influencing vaccination rates. Results showed that vaccination rates were influenced by factors such as age, profession, perception of the necessity of vaccination, and length of time working in healthcare. Vaccination rates need improvement, and health authorities should strengthen policies to promote vaccination among healthcare workers.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Md. Golam Dostogir Harun, Shariful Amin Sumon, Tahrima Mohsin Mohona, Aninda Rahman, Syed Abul Hassan Md Abdullah, Md. Saiful Islam, Md. Mahabub Ul Anwar
Summary: This study investigated the hepatitis B vaccination coverage among Bangladeshi healthcare workers in selected tertiary care hospitals. The overall vaccination coverage was found to be 66.6%, with the lowest coverage among cleaning staff. It was also found that many healthcare workers lacked training on hepatitis B virus prevention and management.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dominika Rykowska, Tomasz Sobierajski, Magdalena Okarska-Napierala, Monika Wanke-Rytt, Ernest Kuchar
Summary: This study investigated the knowledge and attitudes towards influenza vaccination among healthcare workers (HWs) in university hospitals in Poland. Results showed that males, people <40 years old, physicians, and those working in children's hospitals were more likely to get vaccinated and had more positive attitudes towards influenza vaccination. On the other hand, people >40 years old and nurses can be effectively persuaded to get vaccinated through free and on-site vaccination. Free access to vaccination was found to be the strongest motivator for vaccination among all HWs. Attitudes towards mandatory influenza vaccination differed significantly between physicians and nurses.
Article
Immunology
Valentina Minardi, Rosaria Gallo, Valentina Possenti, Benedetta Contoli, Davide Di Fonzo, Elvira D'Andrea, Maria Masocco
Summary: Influenza vaccination uptake is low among health personnel, including medical doctors and non-medical health personnel, compared to the general population. The study analyzed data from the Italian Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and found that the vaccination rate among medical doctors was 22.8% and 8.5% among non-medical health personnel, while only 6.3% of non-health personnel reported being vaccinated.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Penelope A. Robinson, David C. Levy, Claire Hooker, Ramon Z. Shaban, Shizar Nahidi, Julie Leask, Kerrie E. Wiley
Summary: This study aims to investigate the reasons why people do not get a COVID-19 test when they have respiratory symptoms. The findings suggest that participants weigh the potential risks of COVID-19 and practical considerations such as accessibility, inconvenience, and financial loss. Clear communication, easily accessible testing clinics, and financial support may improve testing rates.
HEALTH PROMOTION JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIA
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Holly Seale, Samantha J. Carlson, Michael Maley, Kate Clezy, Adrienne Torda, Pamela Konecny
Summary: This study identifies the barriers and facilitators of patient engagement in infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship activities. Misunderstanding and knowledge gaps about antimicrobial resistance are among the barriers, while strong family/patient support networks and good relationships with nursing staff create opportunities for engagement. Patients with some level of understanding or experience are more motivated to actively engage. It highlights the importance of building awareness among patients and providers and calling for a system and policy shift to recognize the value of patient engagement.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Eve Dube, Adriana Pistol, Aurora Stanescu, Cassandra Butu, Sherine Guirguis, Oana Motea, Anca Elvira Popescu, Alexandra Voivozeanu, Miljana Grbic, Marie-Eve Trottier, Noel T. Brewer, Julie Leask, Bruce Gellin, Katrine Bach Habersaat
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the barriers and drivers of measles vaccination in Romania, focusing on the experiences of caregivers and health workers. The findings highlighted the importance of following recommended practices for vaccination service delivery and providing sufficient information to caregivers. Key barriers were identified, including shortcomings in vaccination consultations and knowledge gaps among caregivers. The study provides insights for designing interventions to improve vaccination service delivery and enhance the capacity of health workers.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Joshua Karras, Mia Harrison, Holly Seale
Summary: The study explored the preferences and opinions of vaccinated and unvaccinated Australian adults regarding peer-to-peer communication and other vaccine communication strategies. Vaccinated participants expressed willingness to promote the vaccine and correct misinformation and emphasized the importance of peer-to-peer communication and community messaging. Unvaccinated individuals tended to dismiss community messaging and expressed a desire not to follow others' advice.
HEALTH EXPECTATIONS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sarah L. McGuinness, Owen Eades, Holly Seale, Allen C. Cheng, Karin Leder
Summary: This study aimed to understand Australians' attitudes, behaviors, and information needs regarding pre-travel vaccines and explore the potential role of decision aids in travel medicine. The results showed that although most participants recognized the importance of vaccines for their health, their confidence in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines was relatively low. Factors influencing vaccine uptake included age, travel to higher-risk destinations, and previous pre-travel vaccine uptake. The majority of participants expressed interest in using a vaccine decision aid, preferably in conjunction with a trusted healthcare professional.
JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Maria Christou-Ergos, Kerrie E. Wiley, Julie Leask
Summary: This study found associations between direct or indirect exposure to traumatic life events, presence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. These findings inform the need for targeted interventions to address vaccine hesitancy in trauma-affected individuals.
Article
Immunology
Elizabeth Benedict Kpozehouen, Bravien Arrudsivah, Timothy C. Tan, C. Raina Macintyre
Summary: Background: Influenza vaccination has been shown to be effective in preventing myocardial infarction, but vaccination rates are low in both adults and healthcare workers. This study aimed to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare workers in a cardiology ward regarding influenza vaccination. Results revealed a lack of awareness among healthcare workers regarding the associations between influenza, vaccination, and cardiovascular health. They did not routinely discuss the benefits of influenza vaccination or recommend it to patients, possibly due to a lack of awareness, not considering it part of their job, and workload issues. Improving healthcare workers' health literacy and awareness of the benefits of vaccination may lead to better healthcare outcomes for cardiac patients.
Article
Immunology
Elizabeth B. Kpozehouen, Robert Menzies, Holly Seale, Julia Brotherton, C. Raina Macintyre
Summary: In 2016, Australia launched the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), a national immunisation system covering all age groups. Recommendations from a national workshop have been integrated into the current version of AIR, improving the accuracy and validity of data. However, access to AIR data for research purposes remains limited.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Holly Seale, Ben Harris-Roxas, Kinza Mustafa, Pippa McDermid
Summary: This review examined the factors influencing communication and engagement with ethnic and racial minority groups in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The key themes identified included lack of trust in authority, lack of access to information, ineffective communication channels, and lack of timely and culturally responsive materials. Recommendations highlighted the role of community organizations, community leaders, collaborations, increasing bilingual workers, and supporting community-led communication efforts.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
D. Hutchinson, M. Kunasekaran, A. Quigley, A. Moa, C. R. MacIntyre
Summary: The objective of this study was to use the EPIWATCH AI system to scan open-source data and detect early warnings of infectious disease outbreaks. By analyzing a multicountry outbreak of Mpox in non-endemic countries confirmed by the World Health Organization in May 2022, the study aimed to identify signals of fever and rash-like illness and determine if they represented potential Mpox outbreaks. The EPIWATCH AI system was used to detect global signals for syndromes of rash and fever from 1 month prior to the initial case confirmation in the United Kingdom to 2 months following.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aye Moa, Mohana Kunasekaran, Zubair Akhtar, Valentina Costantino, C. Raina Macintyre
Summary: We estimated the effectiveness of influenza vaccines in preventing laboratory-confirmed influenza among older adults in aged care. Fourteen studies were included for final review and showed considerable variation in reported vaccine effectiveness. Observational studies demonstrated VE ranging from 7.2% to 89.8%, while randomized clinical trials showed a 17% reduction in infection rates with the adjuvanted trivalent vaccine. Limitations included the small number of included studies, variations in seasons and diagnostic testing methods, and limited research on enhanced influenza vaccines in aged care settings.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Nursing
Danielle Hutchinson, Mohana Kunasekaran, Haley Stone, Xin Chen, Ashley Quigley, Aye Moa, C. Raina Macintyre
Summary: The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respirators, plays a significant role in reducing the risk of healthcare workers (HCWs) acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, differences in PPE guidelines across different clinical settings may leave HCWs vulnerable to infection. During periods of high community transmission, it is crucial to provide respirators to protect hospital staff.
NURSING RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Danielle H. Heinrichs, Amy Wang, Jessica Zhou, Holly Seale
Summary: This study analyzed the cultural responsiveness of multilingual videos shared via a government social media page in NSW, Australia. The findings showed that only a few videos were culturally responsive, and these videos scored higher. However, there were still some shortcomings in these videos, such as the lack of familiar experiences and economically viable vaccine uptake behaviors. Furthermore, all videos exceeded the recommended readability indices for CaLD populations.
JOURNAL OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Mark Raphael, Angela Kelly-Hanku, David Heslop, Danielle Hutchinson, Mohana Kunasekaran, Ashley Quigley, Raina Macintyred
Summary: Compliance with face mask mandates in Papua New Guinea was found to be very low, especially in outdoor settings. Individuals without face coverings and not following physical distancing guidelines are at a higher risk for COVID-19 transmission, particularly in medium- and large-sized gatherings. A new strategy is needed to enforce public health mandates and should be clearly promoted to the public.
WESTERN PACIFIC SURVEILLANCE AND RESPONSE
(2023)
