Seasonal influenza vaccination knowledge, risk perception, health beliefs and vaccination behaviours of nurses

The relationship between knowledge, risk perceptions, health belief towards seasonal influenza and vaccination and the vaccination behaviours of nurses was explored. Qualified nurses attending continuing professional education courses at a large London university between 18 April and 18 October 2010 were surveyed (522/672; response rate 77.7%). Of these, 82.6% worked in hospitals; 37.0% reported receiving seasonal influenza vaccination in the previous season and 44.9% reported never being vaccinated during the last 5 years. All respondents were categorized using two-step cluster analyses into never, occasionally, and continuously vaccinated groups. Nurses vaccinated the season before had higher scores of knowledge and risk perception compared to the unvaccinated (P<0.001). Nurses never vaccinated had the lowest scores of knowledge and risk perception compared to other groups (P<0.001). Nurses' seasonal influenza vaccination behaviours are complex. Knowledge and risk perception predict uptake of vaccination in nurses.