Influenza Vaccination of Home Healthcare Staff and the Impact on Patient Hospitalizations

Autor: Jingjing Shang, Jordan M. Harrison, Ashley M. Chastain, Patricia W. Stone, Uduwanage Gayani E. Perera, Elizabeth A. Madigan, Monika Pogorzelska-Maziarz, Andrew W. Dick
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Am J Infect Control
Popis: BACKGROUND: Influenza is associated with significant morbidity and mortality for adults aged 65 years and older. Influenza vaccination of healthcare workers is recommended. There is limited evidence regarding influenza vaccinations among healthcare workers in the home healthcare (HHC) setting and their impact on HHC patient outcomes. METHODS: A national survey of HHC agencies was conducted in 2018–2019 and linked with patient data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between transfers due to respiratory infection during a 60-day HHC episode and staff vaccination policies. RESULT: Only 26.2% of HHC agencies had staff vaccination requirements and 71.2% agencies had staff vaccination rates higher than 75%. Agency policies for staff influenza vaccination were associated with reduced hospital transfers due to respiratory infection among HHC patients. DISCUSSION: Influenza vaccination rates among HHC staff were low during the 2017–2018 influenza season. Policymakers may consider vaccination mandates to improve healthcare worker vaccination rates and protect patient safety. CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds light on the potential impact of COVID-19 vaccination among HHC workers on patient outcomes. COVID-19 vaccination mandates could prove to be a vital tool in the fight against COVID-19 variants and infection outbreaks.
Databáze: OpenAIRE