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Vaccine
. 2025 Apr 10:53:127106.
doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127106. Online ahead of print. Differences in seasonal influenza vaccine hesitancy profiles between clinicians practicing traditional Chinese medicine and modern Western medicine: A national cross-sectional survey
Liuren Zhang 1 , Yue Xia 1 , Linchen Chu 2 , Maria E Sundaram 3 , Yi Zhou 2 , Xiu Sun 2 , Zheng Wei 2 , Chuanxi Fu 4
Affiliations
Background: Given its unique theoretical framework, the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinicians may prioritize inherent general immunity instead of vaccination, thereby contributing to widespread vaccine hesitancy or refusal amidst the general public. Our objective is to furnish evidence regarding the profiles and drivers of seasonal influenza vaccine hesitancy (IVH) among TCM clinicians.
Methods: Between January and May 2022, we conducted a nationwide survey with embedded an influenza vaccine hesitancy scale to 3085 registered clinicians (1013 TCM and 2072 Western medicine (WM) clinicians).
Results: TCM clinicians exhibit lower possibility of influenza vaccine uptake and are less likely to recommend it to the patients. 58.3 % TCM clinicians and 52.3 % WM clinicians were categorized as being hesitant. Compared to WM clinicians, TCM clinicians have lower confidence in vaccine (p < 0.001) and are less inclined to accept others' vaccination recommendation (p < 0.001). Higher educational attainment in TCM (postgraduate: OR = 1.98, 95 %CI,1.30-3.02; doctor: OR = 2.20, 95 %CI, 1.28-3.77) and ignorance of influenza vaccination cost policy (OR = 1.76, 95 %CI, 1.18-2.63) are significantly associated with increased influenza vaccine hesitancy.
Conclusions: The concerns and doubts towards influenza vaccine is highly prevalent in the Chinese clinicians, especially those practicing TCM. High TCM educational degrees and ignorance of influenza vaccination cost policies are two primary risk factors for developing influenza vaccine hesitancy
. 2025 Apr 10:53:127106.
doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127106. Online ahead of print. Differences in seasonal influenza vaccine hesitancy profiles between clinicians practicing traditional Chinese medicine and modern Western medicine: A national cross-sectional survey
Liuren Zhang 1 , Yue Xia 1 , Linchen Chu 2 , Maria E Sundaram 3 , Yi Zhou 2 , Xiu Sun 2 , Zheng Wei 2 , Chuanxi Fu 4
Affiliations
- PMID: 40215703
- DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127106
Background: Given its unique theoretical framework, the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinicians may prioritize inherent general immunity instead of vaccination, thereby contributing to widespread vaccine hesitancy or refusal amidst the general public. Our objective is to furnish evidence regarding the profiles and drivers of seasonal influenza vaccine hesitancy (IVH) among TCM clinicians.
Methods: Between January and May 2022, we conducted a nationwide survey with embedded an influenza vaccine hesitancy scale to 3085 registered clinicians (1013 TCM and 2072 Western medicine (WM) clinicians).
Results: TCM clinicians exhibit lower possibility of influenza vaccine uptake and are less likely to recommend it to the patients. 58.3 % TCM clinicians and 52.3 % WM clinicians were categorized as being hesitant. Compared to WM clinicians, TCM clinicians have lower confidence in vaccine (p < 0.001) and are less inclined to accept others' vaccination recommendation (p < 0.001). Higher educational attainment in TCM (postgraduate: OR = 1.98, 95 %CI,1.30-3.02; doctor: OR = 2.20, 95 %CI, 1.28-3.77) and ignorance of influenza vaccination cost policy (OR = 1.76, 95 %CI, 1.18-2.63) are significantly associated with increased influenza vaccine hesitancy.
Conclusions: The concerns and doubts towards influenza vaccine is highly prevalent in the Chinese clinicians, especially those practicing TCM. High TCM educational degrees and ignorance of influenza vaccination cost policies are two primary risk factors for developing influenza vaccine hesitancy