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The United States is implementing plans to immunize 500,000 hospital-based healthcare workers against smallpox. Vaccination is voluntary, and it is unknown what factors drive vaccine acceptance. The study's aims were to estimate the proportion of workers willing to accept vaccination and to identify factors likely to influence their decisions.
In early 2003, the United States began to implement a national plan to immunize half a million hospital-based healthcare workers against smallpox. In the event of a bioterrorist attack using smallpox, prospective vaccinees are healthcare workers in emergency departments, intensive care units, and other settings who would be crucial first-line responders.
However, vaccination is voluntary, and many staff members are declining. For example, in Israel, around half of the healthcare workers and security and rescue squad personnel refused voluntary smallpox vaccination in 2002 due to concerns about vaccine adverse events.
In early December 2002, just before the current smallpox vaccination plan was announced, a survey of U.S. healthcare workers' opinions about smallpox vaccination was carried out, with the purpose of optimizing preparedness efforts. Although much has happened to change public opinion since that time, our findings provide insight into factors that influence the ongoing decision-making of healthcare workers about this vaccine.
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