Influenza Vaccination among Pregnant Women: Patient Beliefs and Medical Provider Practices.

Influenza Vaccination among Pregnant Women: Patient Beliefs and Medical Provider Practices. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol. 2016;2016:3281975 Authors: Stark LM, Power ML, Turrentine M, Samelson R, Siddiqui MM, Paglia MJ, Strassberg ER, Kelly E, Murtough KL, Schulkin J Abstract ACOG's research department recruited four medical centers to participate in a study on the attitudes and practices of medical providers and pregnant patients regarding influenza vaccination. Medical providers and patients were given voluntary surveys and medical record data was collected over two flu seasons, from 2013 to 2015. Discrepancies between self-reports of medical providers and patients and medical records were observed. Nearly 80% of patients self-reported accepting the influenza vaccine, but medical record data only reported 36% of patients accepting the vaccine. Similarly, all medical providers reported giving recommendations for the vaccine, but only 85% of patients reported receiving a recommendation. Age, education, a medical provider's recommendation, and educational materials were found to positively influence patient beliefs about the influenza vaccine. Accepting the vaccine was influenced by a patient's previous actions, beliefs, and a medical provider's recommendation. Patients who reported previously not accepting the vaccine and had negative feelings towards the vaccine but accepted it while pregnant reported concern for the health and safety o...
Source: Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology - Category: OBGYN Tags: Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol Source Type: research