A university hospital healthcare workers'opinions about vaccine awareness and vacci̇nehesi̇tancy

Vaccine rejection and hesitation is a major public health problem both in developed and developing countries. This study is a cross sectional-descriptive study conducted among healthcare workers, working and training in Gaziantep University Şahinbey Research and Applicition Hospital, for determining the socio-demographic characteristics, working department, vaccination status, information and opinions about vaccines and status of vaccine hesitancy. The sample was selected with appropriate method from Gaziantep University Şahinbey Research and Applicition Hospital healthcare workers (n=550). The data were collected by a quastionaire applied face-to-face interviews. The data was evaluated with the package program SPSS 22. Descriptive statistics, chi-square, Mann-Whithey U, Anova, Kruskal Wallis, t tests were used. Significance was accepted p<0.05. According to the results of the study, the avarage age of the participants was 31.1 ± 8.2. Of the healthcare workers, 80.7% were at undergraduate and higher education level. The average of professional experience year was 7.4 ± 7.4 years. Most of the participants, 77.5%, thought that they were at risk of infectious diseases. The majority of the participants,%92,7, thought that the Hepatitis B vaccine should be given to healthcare workers and most of them,%54, vaccinated againist Hepatitis B. In this study, vaccine rejection has been reported by 10.1% of the healthcare workers. The majority of the participants, 89.6%, reported influenza vaccine rejection history. More younger healthcare workers had more hesitation in getting their children vaccinated. In the attitudes of individuals about vaccination, 86% stated that vaccines are sufficient and effective in preventing diseases. As a result, effects of vaccination rejection and hesitation are not only individual but also endanger community health and more radical solutions should be sought for vaccine rejection.