Page 91 - Petelin, Ana. 2020. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije / Health of the Working-Age Population. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo ▪︎ Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
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luenza vaccine safety perception among working ohranjanje in krepitev zdravja | maintaining and promoting health
and non-working Slovenians
Monika Lamot, Andrej Kirbiš
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts, Koroška cesta 160, 2200 Maribor, Slovenia
Introduction: Seasonal influenza (flu) usually affects 5-10% of Slovenian popula-
tion. It can be most effectively prevented by vaccination, which reduces the risk
of flu illnesses, hospitalization and flu-related deaths. Despite influenza vaccina�-
tion generally being safe and effective method of protection against flu illness-
es, Slovenia has among the lowest flu vaccination coverage in Europe, with only
4.5% of the population being vaccinated in the 2018/9 season. Research indi-
cates that the acceptance (or rejection) of vaccines is related to various social
determinants, yet previous studies on attitudes toward vaccination among the
working population have largely focused on healthcare professionals. In addi-
tion, there is a lack of research on attitudes towards influenza vaccine in Slove-
nia. As perceptions of vaccine safety were previously found to be a significant
determinant of seasonal influenza vaccination uptake, the purpose of our study
was to determine whether there are differences in the perception of influen-
za vaccine safety among working and non-working residents of Slovenia (per-
manent employees, part-time employees, entrepreneurs, the unemployed and
students), controlling for other relevant factors.
Method: We analyzed a sample of Slovenians (n = 661; Mage = 34.9 years;
76.6% women), which was obtained through an online survey in November
2019. We examined sociodemographic (gender and size of residential settle-
ment) and socioeconomic (activity status, parental education, income, self-as-
sessed household economic status) determinants of perceived safety of the
influenza vaccine, which was measured with the following item: “I think the in-
fluenza vaccine is very safe” (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree).
Results: Ordinal regression analysis indicated that perception of greater influ-
enza vaccine safety was associated with respondents having higher person-
al income and higher self-assessed household socioeconomic status. In addi-
tion, men (more than women) perceived the influenza vaccine to be safe, as
did respondents living in urban environments. Parental education was not a
significant predictor of perceived vaccine safety. Finally, compared to full-time
employees, entrepreneurs and the unemployed had significantly less trust in
vaccine safety, while students’ perceptions were significantly higher.
Conclusion: Promotion and communications activities for flu vaccine safety, es-
pecially among groups who perceive it as less safe, may have a positive impact
on flu vaccination coverage and on the health of the working and non-working
population of Slovenian residents.
Key words: influenza vaccination, employment status, working population, pub-
lic health, attitudes, public opinion
89
and non-working Slovenians
Monika Lamot, Andrej Kirbiš
University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts, Koroška cesta 160, 2200 Maribor, Slovenia
Introduction: Seasonal influenza (flu) usually affects 5-10% of Slovenian popula-
tion. It can be most effectively prevented by vaccination, which reduces the risk
of flu illnesses, hospitalization and flu-related deaths. Despite influenza vaccina�-
tion generally being safe and effective method of protection against flu illness-
es, Slovenia has among the lowest flu vaccination coverage in Europe, with only
4.5% of the population being vaccinated in the 2018/9 season. Research indi-
cates that the acceptance (or rejection) of vaccines is related to various social
determinants, yet previous studies on attitudes toward vaccination among the
working population have largely focused on healthcare professionals. In addi-
tion, there is a lack of research on attitudes towards influenza vaccine in Slove-
nia. As perceptions of vaccine safety were previously found to be a significant
determinant of seasonal influenza vaccination uptake, the purpose of our study
was to determine whether there are differences in the perception of influen-
za vaccine safety among working and non-working residents of Slovenia (per-
manent employees, part-time employees, entrepreneurs, the unemployed and
students), controlling for other relevant factors.
Method: We analyzed a sample of Slovenians (n = 661; Mage = 34.9 years;
76.6% women), which was obtained through an online survey in November
2019. We examined sociodemographic (gender and size of residential settle-
ment) and socioeconomic (activity status, parental education, income, self-as-
sessed household economic status) determinants of perceived safety of the
influenza vaccine, which was measured with the following item: “I think the in-
fluenza vaccine is very safe” (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree).
Results: Ordinal regression analysis indicated that perception of greater influ-
enza vaccine safety was associated with respondents having higher person-
al income and higher self-assessed household socioeconomic status. In addi-
tion, men (more than women) perceived the influenza vaccine to be safe, as
did respondents living in urban environments. Parental education was not a
significant predictor of perceived vaccine safety. Finally, compared to full-time
employees, entrepreneurs and the unemployed had significantly less trust in
vaccine safety, while students’ perceptions were significantly higher.
Conclusion: Promotion and communications activities for flu vaccine safety, es-
pecially among groups who perceive it as less safe, may have a positive impact
on flu vaccination coverage and on the health of the working and non-working
population of Slovenian residents.
Key words: influenza vaccination, employment status, working population, pub-
lic health, attitudes, public opinion
89
