Awareness of Infectious Disease Risks and Vaccination Behaviors Among Health Professionals

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the awareness of infectious disease risks and vaccination behaviors of health professionals. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted who worked at a research and training hospital, met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate. Personal information form and Communicable Diseases Risk Awareness Protection Scale (CDRAPS) were used for data collection. The study was completed with 208 health professionals actively working at the hospital. Personal information form and communicable diseases risk awareness and protection scale were collected. Results: In this study, 62% of the participants have had influenza before and 85.1% were vaccinated with at least one of the adult vaccines. 10.6%were formerly vaccinated with pneumococcal vaccine and half of them were vaccinated during the COVID-19. 16.8% of the participants, who were not formerly vaccinated with influenza vaccine, stated their intentions to receive vaccine, 90% decided during the pandemic. Mean CDRAPS score was 155.70±15.47. There was statistically significant relationship between the knowledge of the participants on adult vaccines and the mean scores obtained from the CDRAPS (p=.004) and between the decision to receive influenza vaccination and the CDRAPS scores (p=.047). Conclusion: There was a statistically significant relationship between knowledge on adult vaccines, plans to receive influenza vaccination and the scores obtained from the CDRAPS.