2009 Pandemik nfluenza Salg n ncesinde Sa l k Personelinin Pandemik Grip A s ile lgili G rü leri

Objective: Pandemic influenza vaccine is important in order to prevent dissemination of influenza, to decrease rates of complications and mortality due to influenza, to prevent mutation of virus in case epidemics last for a long time, to decrease the need for intensive care hospitalisation due to disease, to maintain health care services, to prevent school and work day loss and to decrease the economic burden. Our questionnaire was conducted in 3 different centers to evaluate view of health care staff for pandemic influenza vaccine prior to epidemics. Materials and Methods: Our questionnaire was conducted with health care workers with a possibility of direct exposure to patients including 182 doctors, 158 nurses and 54 management staff, making a total of 394 people. The location of the staff, position, period of office, whether she/he had seasonal influenza vaccine, whether he/she planned to have the pandemic influenza vaccine and the reason for this were questioned and noted.Results: Of the 394 healthcare staff included in our study, 221 were working in Hacettepe University Hospital, 102 in Ankara University Hospital and 71 in Ankara Hematology and Oncology Hospital. Of the people enrolled in our study, 259 were planning to have the pandemic influenza vaccine while 135 were not. Of the staff planning to have the pandemic influenza vaccine, 77.6% were planning because they thought they were in the risk group, 22.4% were planning because there was pandemics. Of the staff not planning to have the pandemic influenza vaccine, 23% were not having the vaccine because they did not want be guinea pigs, 30.9% were concerned with its side effects and 46% had concerns because the vaccine was too new.Conclusion: In group vaccination, the opinions of the specialists and determination of health care authorities are very important, so views about vaccines should consider this aspect. Otherwise, even in risk groups, acceptance of the vaccine would be at lower rates.