Factors Influencing Influenza Vaccine Acceptance Among Healthcare Workers
- 1İstanbul Provincial Health Directorate Presidency of Public Health Services, İstanbul, Türkiye
Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to assess attitudes and vaccination behaviors among primary healthcare workers toward seasonal influenza vaccination and to examine the psychological antecedents underlying their vaccination decisions using the Psychological Antecedents of Vaccination (5C) framework. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 181 healthcare workers employed at primary healthcare institutions affiliated with a provincial health directorate. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to influenza vaccination, together with the seven-point Likert-type 5C scale. Participants who reported having received an influenza vaccine at least once in previous seasons were compared with those who had never been vaccinated. Participants were also compared according to their vaccination status during the 2025-2026 season. Variables showing significant associations in univariable analyses were subsequently entered into a multivariable binary logistic regression model. Results: The participants had a mean age of 38.1 ± 7.2 years, and 75.1% were women. Overall, 33.1% had received an influenza vaccine at least once, whereas only 16.6% had been vaccinated during the 2025-2026 season. Participants who had received an influenza vaccine at least once had higher collective responsibility scores (p = 0.045). Those vaccinated during the current season had lower constraints scores (p = 0.006) and higher calculation scores (p = 0.030). Significant differences across occupational groups were observed in confidence, complacency, constraints, and collective responsibility (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, p = 0.002, and p = 0.022, respectively). In the multivariable analysis, recommending influenza vaccination [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 7.677; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.024-19.490; p < 0.001], female sex (adjusted OR: 2.852; 95% CI, 1.115-7.296; p = 0.029), and being a physician (adjusted OR: 2.904; 95% CI, 1.160-7.272; p = 0.023) were independently associated with having received an influenza vaccine at least once. Conclusion: Influenza vaccination uptake among primary healthcare workers was low, both historically and during the 2025-2026 season. Having recommended influenza vaccination to others, being female, and being a physician were independently associated with previous influenza vaccination, while higher collective responsibility was associated with vaccination history. These findings support the need for multicomponent interventions that address psychological, behavioral, and practical barriers to vaccination while promoting collective responsibility among healthcare workers.
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BibTeX
@article{aktura2026factors,
title = {{Factors Influencing Influenza Vaccine Acceptance Among Healthcare Workers}},
author = {Bekir Aktura and Esmehan Ayşit and Pınar Kıran},
journal = {Mediterranean Journal of Infection, Microbes and Antimicrobials},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.4274/mjima.galenos.2026.261047},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4274/mjima.galenos.2026.261047},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Factors Influencing Influenza Vaccine Acceptance Among Healthcare Workers
AU - Bekir Aktura
AU - Esmehan Ayşit
AU - Pınar Kıran
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Mediterranean Journal of Infection, Microbes and Antimicrobials
DO - 10.4274/mjima.galenos.2026.261047
UR - https://doi.org/10.4274/mjima.galenos.2026.261047
AB - Introduction: This study aimed to assess attitudes and vaccination behaviors among primary healthcare workers toward seasonal influenza vaccination and to examine the psychological antecedents underlying their vaccination decisions using the Psychological Antecedents of Vaccination (5C) framework. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 181 healthcare workers employed at primary healthcare institutions affiliated with a provincial health directorate. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to influenza vaccination, together with the seven-point Likert-type 5C scale. Participants who reported having received an influenza vaccine at least once in previous seasons were compared with those who had never been vaccinated. Participants were also compared according to their vaccination status during the 2025-2026 season. Variables showing significant associations in univariable analyses were subsequently entered into a multivariable binary logistic regression model. Results: The participants had a mean age of 38.1 ± 7.2 years, and 75.1% were women. Overall, 33.1% had received an influenza vaccine at least once, whereas only 16.6% had been vaccinated during the 2025-2026 season. Participants who had received an influenza vaccine at least once had higher collective responsibility scores (p = 0.045). Those vaccinated during the current season had lower constraints scores (p = 0.006) and higher calculation scores (p = 0.030). Significant differences across occupational groups were observed in confidence, complacency, constraints, and collective responsibility (p = 0.002, p < 0.001, p = 0.002, and p = 0.022, respectively). In the multivariable analysis, recommending influenza vaccination [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 7.677; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.024-19.490; p < 0.001], female sex (adjusted OR: 2.852; 95% CI, 1.115-7.296; p = 0.029), and being a physician (adjusted OR: 2.904; 95% CI, 1.160-7.272; p = 0.023) were independently associated with having received an influenza vaccine at least once. Conclusion: Influenza vaccination uptake among primary healthcare workers was low, both historically and during the 2025-2026 season. Having recommended influenza vaccination to others, being female, and being a physician were independently associated with previous influenza vaccination, while higher collective responsibility was associated with vaccination history. These findings support the need for multicomponent interventions that address psychological, behavioral, and practical barriers to vaccination while promoting collective responsibility among healthcare workers.
SN - 2147-673X
ER -