Work-site-based influenza vaccination in healthcare and non-healthcare settings.

Objective: To better understand work-site-based programs for influenza vaccination.

Design: Self-administered, mailed questionnaire.

Setting: Healthcare and non-healthcare companies.

Participants: Random sample of 2000 members of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses.

Results: The response rate was 55%, and 88% of the respondents were employed by companies sponsoring work-site influenza vaccination. Thirty-two percent of respondents worked for healthcare and healthcare-related services companies. Healthcare companies were more likely to sponsor worksite-based vaccination (94% vs 85%; P < .0001) compared with non-healthcare companies. Healthcare companies were also more likely to encourage vaccination of high-risk employees (70% vs 55%; P < .0001) and cover its cost (86% vs 61%; P < .0001). Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with highly successful vaccination. Being a healthcare-related company (OR, 2.1; CI95, 1.4-3.2; P < .0001), employers covering the vaccination cost (OR, 3.1; CI95, 1.4-6.6; P = .004), having more experience with work-site vaccination (OR, 1.6; CI95, 1.0-2.4; P = .036), and management encouraging vaccination (OR, 2.6; CI95, 1.4-4.9; P = .002) were associated with highly successful programs.

Conclusions: Most of the occupational health nurses surveyed work for employers sponsoring work-site vaccination, and 32% were employed by healthcare and related services companies. Healthcare companies were more likely to sponsor worksite-based vaccination and to vaccinate most of their employees; however, only 18% had vaccination rates higher than 50%. Strategies need to be developed to increase vaccination rates so that benefits of vaccination can be realized by employers and employees.