Randomized Trial of a Program to Increase Staff Influenza Vaccination in Primary Care Clinics

Zvi Howard Abramson; Ohad Avni; Orit Levi; Ian Nigel Miskin

doi:10.1370/afm.1132

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Authors response on effectiveness of vaccination
Zvi H Abramson

Published on: 10 September 2010
We need more information
Edoardo Cervoni

Published on: 06 September 2010
Laudable initiative to raise influenza vaccination in primary care providers
Udo T Buchholz

Published on: 21 July 2010

Published on: (10 September 2010)
Page navigation anchor for Authors response on effectiveness of vaccination
Authors response on effectiveness of vaccination
Zvi H Abramson, Jerusalem, Israel
I couldn't agree more with the comment submitted by Edoardo Cervoni. Our article provided evidence for the effectiveness of a program to increase influenza vaccination among primary health care staff. However, we did not examine the effectiveness of such vaccination.
The few studies demonstrating benefit from staff vaccination were performed in long term care institutions, not in primary care clinics, and are...
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I couldn't agree more with the comment submitted by Edoardo Cervoni. Our article provided evidence for the effectiveness of a program to increase influenza vaccination among primary health care staff. However, we did not examine the effectiveness of such vaccination.
The few studies demonstrating benefit from staff vaccination were performed in long term care institutions, not in primary care clinics, and are methodologically flawed. As a matter of fact, having become well acquainted with the relevant literature, I am now going to attempt to publish a review on this topic. I wonder how difficult it will be to find a leading journal willing to publish a review which demonstrates, contrary to widespread beliefs and recommendations, that the benefit of staff vaccination is not evidence based.
Competing interests: None declared
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Competing Interests: None declared.
Published on: (6 September 2010)
Page navigation anchor for We need more information
We need more information
Edoardo Cervoni, Southport
Albeit vaccination of health care workers against influenza is "widely recommended", I'm not aware of a single study that has assessed if and in what extent Influenza immunization of health care workers protects their patients and themselves from influenza infection. Actually, we are still not sure about the impact last flu vaccination (swine flu), may have had on patients and its cost-effectiveness. A 2006 Cochrane re...
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Albeit vaccination of health care workers against influenza is "widely recommended", I'm not aware of a single study that has assessed if and in what extent Influenza immunization of health care workers protects their patients and themselves from influenza infection. Actually, we are still not sure about the impact last flu vaccination (swine flu), may have had on patients and its cost-effectiveness. A 2006 Cochrane review of influenza vaccination in the elderly stated "The apparent high effectiveness of the vaccines in preventing death from all causes may reflect a baseline imbalance in health status and other systematic differences in the two groups of participant". A study on selection bias for influenza vaccine in the elderly found that it could account for the entirety of the protective effect.A 2007 Cochrane review on influenza vaccines in healthy adults found that while vaccines were effective against the influenza strains they are designed to vaccinate against, this ended up translating to only a modest impact on working days lost due to influenza-like infections.In the other hand, as anyone knows, side effects include: Side effects of the inactivated/dead flu vaccine injection include: mild soreness, redness, and swelling where the shot was given,fever,aches, runny nose or nasal congestion, cough, chills, weakness, tiredness, headache, and rarely ife- threatening allergic reaction.
Competing interests: None declared
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Competing Interests: None declared.
Published on: (21 July 2010)
Page navigation anchor for Laudable initiative to raise influenza vaccination in primary care providers
Laudable initiative to raise influenza vaccination in primary care providers
Udo T Buchholz, Germany
The authors have approached a subject that is widely neglected albeit extremely important: influenza vaccination of staff in primary care. Perhaps because of methodological problems this has received hardly any attention previously. The authorse have implemented a simple, nevertheless multifaceted campaign, that has - in addition - the advantage to be sound in its scientific vigor. The results should encourage other small...
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The authors have approached a subject that is widely neglected albeit extremely important: influenza vaccination of staff in primary care. Perhaps because of methodological problems this has received hardly any attention previously. The authorse have implemented a simple, nevertheless multifaceted campaign, that has - in addition - the advantage to be sound in its scientific vigor. The results should encourage other small or large providers alike to implement similar programs.
Competing interests: None declared
Show Less

Competing Interests: None declared.