Abstract
Objective
Influenza vaccine uptake among Canadian pregnant individuals is suboptimal. Failure
to incorporate vaccination into routine prenatal care and a lack of recommendations
from healthcare providers are recognized as barriers to vaccination. The aim of this
study was to assess Canadian maternity care providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices
regarding influenza vaccination in pregnancy.
Methods
A cross-sectional Web-based questionnaire was sent during July and August 2017 to
family physicians, obstetricians-gynaecologists, midwives, pharmacists, and nurses
who care for pregnant individuals. A multivariable logistic regression model was used
to determine variables independently associated with providers’ recommendation of
the influenza vaccine in pregnancy.
Results
The analysis included 1061 providers. Most participants (85%) reported being vaccinated
against influenza themselves, and 72% reported recommending the influenza vaccine
to all of their pregnant patients during the previous influenza season. Participants’
attitudes regarding influenza vaccination during pregnancy were generally positive:
64% strongly agreed that pregnant individuals are at an increased risk of complications
from influenza, and 69% strongly agreed that it is safe to vaccinate pregnant individuals
against influenza. The main determinants of participants’ recommendations for influenza
vaccination to all pregnant patients were following official recommendations on influenza
vaccination, discussing vaccines with most or all pregnant individuals seen in their
practice, and being vaccinated themselves during the previous influenza season.
Conclusion
Enhancing influenza vaccine uptake in pregnancy is largely dependent on maternity
care providers’ recommendations. This study provides valuable insight on providers’
knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
Résumé
Objectif
Le taux de vaccination contre la grippe des femmes enceintes canadiennes est sous
optimal. La non-intégration de la vaccination aux soins prénataux de base et l'absence
de recommandations des fournisseurs de soins de santé sont des obstacles connus à
la vaccination. Cette étude visait à évaluer les connaissances, les attitudes et les
pratiques des fournisseurs canadiens de soins de maternité à l'égard de la vaccination
contre la grippe durant la grossesse.
Méthodologie
Un questionnaire transversal en ligne a été envoyé en juillet et août 2017 à des médecins
de famille, obstétriciens, gynécologues, sages-femmes, pharmaciens et infirmiéres
qui prennent soin de femmes enceintes. Un modéle de régression logistique multivariée
a été utilisé pour mettre en évidence des variables indépendamment associées à la
recommandation du vaccin antigrippal durant la grossesse par les fournisseurs.
Résultats
L'analyse comprenait 1 061 fournisseurs. La plupart des participants (85 %) ont indiqué
être eux-mêmes vaccinés contre la grippe, et 72 % ont dit avoir recommandé le vaccin
antigrippal à toutes leurs patientes enceintes durant la saison de la grippe précédente.
Les attitudes des participants à l'égard de la vaccination contre la grippe durant
la grossesse étaient généralement positives : 64 % étaient tout à fait d'accord pour
dire que les femmes enceintes présentent un risque accru de complications grippales,
et 69 % étaient tout à fait d'accord pour dire qu'il est sécuritaire de vacciner les
femmes enceintes contre la grippe. Les principaux critéres déterminant si le participant
recommandait la vaccination contre la grippe à toutes ses patientes enceintes étaient
le respect des recommandations officielles à ce sujet, les discussions sur les vaccins
avec la plupart ou la totalité des femmes enceintes qui les consultaient et le fait
d'avoir été eux-mêmes vaccinés durant la saison de la grippe précédente.
Conclusions
L'augmentation du taux de vaccination contre la grippe durant la grossesse repose
largement sur les recommandations des fournisseurs de soins de maternité. Cette étude
fournit des renseignements précieux sur les connaissances, les attitudes et les pratiques
des fournisseurs.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 06, 2018
Received in revised form:
September 6,
2018
Received:
June 27,
2018
Footnotes
Competing interests: See Acknowledgements.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
