Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

Original Articles

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Influenza Vaccination Among Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study: Laila M. Almutairi, Mona A. Almusawi, Abeer M. Albalawi, Musallam Y. Abu Hassan, Adel F. Alotaibi, Tariq M. Almutairi, Randah M. Alalweet, Abdullah M. Asiri; J Prev Med Public Health. 2024;57(6):586-594. Published online November 8, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.24.283

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Abstract Summary PDF Supplementary Material: Objectives
Influenza vaccination is important for healthcare workers in order to prevent both the illness itself and transmission to patients. Previous studies in Saudi Arabia have revealed low influenza vaccine coverage among healthcare workers due to misconceptions. This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding influenza vaccination among healthcare workers during 2021, addressing the current data gap.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 1273 healthcare workers from the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to participants via email.
Results
Most participants had an appropriate extent of knowledge, with 37.1% having a high level and 26.6% having a moderate level. Positive attitudes toward the influenza vaccine were observed in 41.2% of participants, and 80.2% demonstrated good vaccine practices. However, the vaccine coverage was 50.8% in the past 12 months. Factors associated with vaccine uptake included previous vaccination, workplace availability, awareness of guidelines, engagement in training programs, type of workplace settings, and having positive attitudes toward the vaccine. The most common reason for not getting vaccinated was the perception of being at low risk, making vaccination unnecessary.
Conclusions
Participants exhibited positive knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding influenza vaccination. However, the observed vaccine uptake rate fell below the recommended coverage rate, indicating the presence of a knowledge-behavior gap. Targeted interventions are recommended to improve vaccination uptake among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia.; Summary

Key Message
This study assesses knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding influenza vaccination among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia, and reveals that most participants had an appropriate extent of knowledge, positive attitudes toward the influenza vaccine, and good vaccine practices. However, the vaccine uptake rate was below the desired coverage target, indicating a knowledge-behavior gap. Our findings suggest implementing interventions that enhance accessibility, provide workplace support, conduct awareness campaigns, and tackle barriers impeding vaccination, to improve uptake rates among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia.

Mathematical Modeling of the Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus and Evaluation of the Epidemic Response Strategies in the Republic of Korea.: Mina Suh, Jeehyun Lee, Hye Jin Chi, Young Keun Kim, Dae Yong Kang, Nam Wook Hur, Kyung Hwa Ha, Dong Han Lee, Chang Soo Kim; J Prev Med Public Health. 2010;43(2):109-116.; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2010.43.2.109

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OBJECTIVES
The pandemic of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus has required decision-makers to act in the face of the substantial uncertainties. In this study, we evaluated the potential impact of the pandemic response strategies in the Republic of Korea using a mathematical model. METHODS: We developed a deterministic model of a pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in a structured population using the demographic data from the Korean population and the epidemiological feature of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009. To estimate the parameter values for the deterministic model, we used the available data from the previous studies on pandemic influenza. The pandemic response strategies of the Republic of Korea for novel influenza A (H1N1) virus such as school closure, mass vaccination (70% of population in 30 days), and a policy for anti-viral drug (treatment or prophylaxis) were applied to the deterministic model. RESULTS: The effect of two-week school closure on the attack rate was low regardless of the timing of the intervention. The earlier vaccination showed the effect of greater delays in reaching the peak of outbreaks. When it was no vaccination, vaccination at initiation of outbreak, vaccination 90 days after the initiation of outbreak and vaccination at the epidemic peak point, the total number of clinical cases for 400 days were 20.8 million, 4.4 million, 4.7 million and 12.6 million, respectively. The pandemic response strategies of the Republic of Korea delayed the peak of outbreaks (about 40 days) and decreased the number of cumulative clinical cases (8 million). CONCLUSIONS: Rapid vaccination was the most important factor to control the spread of pandemic influenza, and the response strategies of the Republic of Korea were shown to delay the spread of pandemic influenza in this deterministic model.

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English Abstract

The Current Trend of Avian Influenza Viruses in Bioinformatics Research.: Insung Ahn, Hyeon S Son; J Prev Med Public Health. 2007;40(2):185-190.; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2007.40.2.185

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Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
Since the first human infection from avian influenza was reported in Hong Kong in 1997, many Asian countries have confirmed outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses. In addition to Asian countries, the EU authorities also held an urgent meeting in February 2006 at which it was agreed that Europe could also become the next target for H5N1 avian influenza in the near future. In this paper, we provide the general and applicable information on the avian influenza in the bioinformatics field to assist future studies in preventive medicine. METHODS: We introduced some up-to-date analytical tools in bioinformatics research, and discussed the current trends of avian influenza outbreaks. Among the bioinformatics methods, we focused our interests on two topics: attern analysis using the secondary database of avian influenza, and structural analysis using the molecular dynamics simulations in vaccine design. RESULTS: Use of the public genome databases available in the bioinformatics field enabled intensive analysis of the genetic patterns. Moreover, molecular dynamic simulations have also undergone remarkable development on the basis of the high performance supercomputing infrastructure these days. CONCLUSIONS: The bioinformatics techniques we introduced in this study may be useful in preventive medicine, especially in vaccine and drug discovery.

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Identification of novel conserved functional motifs across most Influenza A viral strains
Mahmoud ElHefnawi, Osama AlAidi, Nafisa Mohamed, Mona Kamar, Iman El-Azab, Suher Zada, Rania Siam
Virology Journal.2011;[Epub] CrossRef

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