tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Vaccine. 2014 Dec 26. pii: S0264-410X(14)01691-0. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.12.038. [Epub ahead of print]
[h=1]Cross-sectional survey: Risk-averse French general practitioners are more favorable toward influenza vaccination.[/h] Massin S[SUP]1[/SUP], Ventelou B[SUP]2[/SUP], Nebout A[SUP]3[/SUP], Verger P[SUP]4[/SUP], Pulcini C[SUP]5[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]OBJECTIVES:[/h] We tested the following hypotheses: (i) risk-averse general practitioners (GPs) are more likely to be vaccinated against influenza; (ii) and risk-averse GPs recommend influenza vaccination more often to their patients. In risk-averse GPs, the perceived benefits of the vaccine and/or the perceived risks of the infectious disease might indeed outweigh the perceived risks of the vaccine.
[h=4]PATIENTS/METHODS:[/h] In 2010-2012, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of a nationwide French representative sample of 1136 GPs. Multivariate analyses adjusted for four stratification variables (age, gender, urban/suburban/rural practice location and annual patient consultations) and for GPs' characteristics (group/solo practice, and occasional practice of alternative medicine, e.g., homeopathy) looked for associations between their risk attitudes and self-reported vaccination behavior. Individual risk attitudes were expressed as a continuous variable, from 0 (risk-tolerant) to 10 (risk-averse).
[h=4]RESULTS:[/h] Overall, 69% of GPs reported that they were very favorable toward vaccination in general. Self-reported vaccination coverage was 78% for 2009/2010 seasonal influenza and 62% for A/H1N1 pandemic influenza. Most GPs (72%) reported recommending the pandemic influenza vaccination to at-risk young adults in 2009, but few than half (42%) to young adults not at risk. In multivariate analyses, risk-averse GPs were more often vaccinated against seasonal (marginal effect=1.3%, P=0.02) and pandemic influenza (marginal effect=1.5%, P=0.02). Risk-averse GPs recommended the pandemic influenza vaccination more often than their more risk-tolerant colleagues to patients without risk factors (marginal effect=1.7%, P=0.01), but not to their at-risk patients and were more favorable toward vaccination in general (marginal effect=1.5%, P=0.04).
[h=4]CONCLUSION:[/h] Individual risk attitudes may influence GPs' practices regarding influenza vaccination, both for themselves and their patients. Our results suggest that risk-averse GPs may perceive the risks of influenza to outweigh the potential risks related to the vaccine.
Copyright ? 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
[h=4]KEYWORDS:[/h] Immunization; Pandemic influenza; Primary care; Risk aversion; Seasonal influenza; Vaccine
PMID: 25545596 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25545596
[h=1]Cross-sectional survey: Risk-averse French general practitioners are more favorable toward influenza vaccination.[/h] Massin S[SUP]1[/SUP], Ventelou B[SUP]2[/SUP], Nebout A[SUP]3[/SUP], Verger P[SUP]4[/SUP], Pulcini C[SUP]5[/SUP].
[h=3]Author information[/h]
[h=3]Abstract[/h] [h=4]OBJECTIVES:[/h] We tested the following hypotheses: (i) risk-averse general practitioners (GPs) are more likely to be vaccinated against influenza; (ii) and risk-averse GPs recommend influenza vaccination more often to their patients. In risk-averse GPs, the perceived benefits of the vaccine and/or the perceived risks of the infectious disease might indeed outweigh the perceived risks of the vaccine.
[h=4]PATIENTS/METHODS:[/h] In 2010-2012, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of a nationwide French representative sample of 1136 GPs. Multivariate analyses adjusted for four stratification variables (age, gender, urban/suburban/rural practice location and annual patient consultations) and for GPs' characteristics (group/solo practice, and occasional practice of alternative medicine, e.g., homeopathy) looked for associations between their risk attitudes and self-reported vaccination behavior. Individual risk attitudes were expressed as a continuous variable, from 0 (risk-tolerant) to 10 (risk-averse).
[h=4]RESULTS:[/h] Overall, 69% of GPs reported that they were very favorable toward vaccination in general. Self-reported vaccination coverage was 78% for 2009/2010 seasonal influenza and 62% for A/H1N1 pandemic influenza. Most GPs (72%) reported recommending the pandemic influenza vaccination to at-risk young adults in 2009, but few than half (42%) to young adults not at risk. In multivariate analyses, risk-averse GPs were more often vaccinated against seasonal (marginal effect=1.3%, P=0.02) and pandemic influenza (marginal effect=1.5%, P=0.02). Risk-averse GPs recommended the pandemic influenza vaccination more often than their more risk-tolerant colleagues to patients without risk factors (marginal effect=1.7%, P=0.01), but not to their at-risk patients and were more favorable toward vaccination in general (marginal effect=1.5%, P=0.04).
[h=4]CONCLUSION:[/h] Individual risk attitudes may influence GPs' practices regarding influenza vaccination, both for themselves and their patients. Our results suggest that risk-averse GPs may perceive the risks of influenza to outweigh the potential risks related to the vaccine.
Copyright ? 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
[h=4]KEYWORDS:[/h] Immunization; Pandemic influenza; Primary care; Risk aversion; Seasonal influenza; Vaccine
PMID: 25545596 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25545596