Vaccination coverage of health care personnel working in health care facilities in France: results of a national survey, 2009.

Vaccination coverage surveys - Publication

abstract: We conducted a national cross-sectional survey to

investigate vaccination coverage (VC) in health care personnel

(HCP) working in clinics and hospitals in France. We used a

two-stage stratified random sampling design to select 1127 persons

from 35 health care settings. Data were collected by face-to-face

interviews and completed using information gathered from the

occupational health doctor. A total of 183 physicians, 110 nurses,

58 nurse-assistants and 101 midwives were included. VC for

compulsory vaccinations was 91.7% for hepatitis B, 95.5% for the

booster dose of diphtheria-tetanus-polio (DTP), 94.9% for BCG. For

non-compulsory vaccinations, coverage was 11.4% for the 10 year

booster of the DTP pertussis containing vaccine, 49.7% for at least

one dose of measles, 29.9% for varicella and 25.6% for influenza.

Hepatitis B VC did not differ neither between HCP working in

surgery and HCP in other sectors, nor in surgeons and

anaesthesiologists compared to physicians working in medicine.

Young HCP were better vaccinated for pertussis and measles

(p<0.01), and those working in an obstetric or a paediatric ward

were better vaccinated for influenza and pertussis (p<0.01). HCP

are overall well covered by compulsory vaccinations, whereas VC for

non-compulsory vaccinations is very insufficient. The vaccination

policy regarding these latter vaccinations should be reinforced in

France.