Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Aaron Mendelsohn

Abstract

Influenza is a public health concern that claims up to 56,000 lives annually in the United States, though it is a vaccine-preventable disease. Influenza vaccination among health care personnel (HCP) is highly encouraged to prevent influenza transmission in health care settings. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between mandatory reporting of HCP influenza vaccination rates (implemented in 2012) and HCP influenza vaccination intake in a health care network with 20 hospitals. The protection and motivation theory was used as the theoretical framework. Data collected from surveys of hospital administrators and archives of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid were used to conduct a retrospective cohort study. Results of a paired-samples t test indicated a statistically significant increase in HCP influenza vaccination rates from 63.0% (2010-2013) before to 77.0% (2014-2018) after mandatory reporting was implemented. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that the influenza vaccination means differed significantly between all reported flu seasons. Finally, linear regression of data from the 2015/2016 influenza season indicated that the effectiveness of the organization’s strategies (free influenza vaccine, HCP education, establishing a culture of prevention, maintaining up-to-date knowledge with guidelines, and incentivizing HCP through wellness programs) and the hospital size (by number of HCP) were not significant predictors of the vaccination rate. Future studies on mandatory reporting and its relationship to HCP vaccination intake can lead to positive social change by supporting health care policymakers and stakeholders to prevent disease transmission.

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