INTRODUCTION: A successful vaccination programme forms the cornerstone of controlling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The unprecedented speed of COVID-19 vaccine development and lack of long-term data have raised fears regarding its safety and efficacy. Vaccine hesitancy can undermine the uptake, and hence success of the vaccination programme. Given the high complication rates of COVID-19 infections in kidney transplant recipients, it is particularly important to identify and address vaccine hesitancy in this population. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among kidney transplant recipients attending transplant clinic between 5 April and 5 May 2021. The survey assessed attitudes towards COVID-19, willingness/hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination, vaccination concerns and prompts to vaccination. This was scored on a Likert scale with scores ranging from 'strongly disagree' - 1 point to 'strongly agree' - 5 points. RESULTS: One hundred and one completed responses were captured. Of these, 86% respondents reported to agree or strongly agree to vaccination. This was despite significant concerns of allograft rejection (mean score 4.12, standard deviation [SD] 0.97) and decreased immunosuppressant efficacy (mean score 4.14, SD 0.96) with vaccination. Multivariable model showed a positive association with transplant vintage of ≥ 5 years (median 2.41), lower educational levels of secondary school or less (median 5.82) and healthcare provider advocacy (median 1.88) in predicting vaccine acceptance. CONCLUSIONS Vaccine acceptance rate was high among kidney transplant recipients. Vaccine hesitancy remains a concern in those with a transplant vintage of less than 5 years and those with tertiary educational level. Healthcare provider advocacy is important in improving vaccine acceptance rates.
Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Male ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Transplant Recipients/psychology* ; Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data* ; Vaccination Hesitancy/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vaccination/psychology* ; Aged ; SARS-CoV-2

Given the rapid growth of the population of cancer survivors, increased attention has been paid to their health problems. Although gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers, empirical evidence of survivorship care is limited. The objectives of this study were to describe the health care status of gastric cancer survivors and to report the experience of using the shared-care model during a one-year experience at the cancer survivorship clinic in Seoul National University Hospital. This is a descriptive, single-center study of 250 long-term gastric cancer survivors who were referred to the survivorship clinic. The status of their health behaviors, comorbid conditions, secondary cancer screenings, and survivorship care status were investigated through questionnaires and examining the medical records. Among the survivors, 7.2% were current smokers, 8.8% were at-risk drinkers, and 32.4% were physically inactive. Among the patients who did not know their bone density status, the majority were in the osteopenic (37.1%) or osteoporotic range (24.1%). Screening among the eligible population within the recommended time intervals were 76.3% for colorectal cancer, but only 13.6% for lung cancer. All of the survivors were provided with counseling and medical management at the survivorship clinic, as appropriate. In conclusion, Long-term gastric cancer survivors have various unmet needs. Shared-care through survivorship clinics can be an effective solution for providing comprehensive care to cancer survivors.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic/diagnosis ; Counseling ; Delivery of Health Care ; Health Behavior ; Health Status ; Humans ; Influenza, Human/prevention & control ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis/diagnosis ; Pneumonia/prevention & control ; Republic of Korea ; Stomach Neoplasms/*prevention & control ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Survivors/*psychology ; Vaccination

Pregnant women are prioritized to receive influenza vaccination. However, the maternal influenza vaccination rate has been low in Korea. To identify potential barriers for the vaccination of pregnant women against influenza, a survey using a questionnaire on the perceptions and attitudes about maternal influenza vaccination was applied to Korean obstetricians between May and August of 2014. A total of 473 respondents participated in the survey. Most respondents (94.8%, 442/466) recognized that influenza vaccination was required for pregnant women. In addition, 92.8% (410/442) respondents knew that the incidence of adverse events following influenza vaccination is not different between pregnant and non-pregnant women. However, 26.5% (124/468) obstetricians strongly recommended influenza vaccination to pregnant women. The concern about adverse events following influenza vaccination was considered as a major barrier for the promotion of maternal influenza vaccination by healthcare providers. Providing professional information and education about maternal influenza vaccination will enhance the perception of obstetricians about influenza vaccination to pregnant women and will be helpful to improve maternal influenza vaccination coverage in Korea.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines/*immunology ; Influenza, Human/*prevention & control ; Maternal Welfare ; *Perception ; Physicians/*psychology ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Republic of Korea ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vaccination

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to survey the current state of measles vaccination in university nursing students during a measles outbreak and to identify factors influencing nursing students' vaccination rate. METHODS: In 2014, this study used a self-administered questionnaire to survey 380 university nursing students. Factors influencing measles vaccination were identified through logistic regression analysis using variables between the vaccinated and nonvaccinated groups. RESULTS: Measles vaccination rate was 52.1%. The vaccination rate was significantly higher in juniors, seniors, and those who had heard about measles. In relation to health beliefs, the measles vaccination rate was higher when perceived benefits were high and perceived barriers were low. CONCLUSIONS: A systematic measles vaccination program targeting nursing students upon their entry to university is needed. In order to increase the measles vaccination rate, application of effective promotion campaigns and education programs is necessary.
Adult ; Disease Outbreaks/*prevention & control ; Female ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Immunization Programs/*statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Measles/*prevention & control ; Republic of Korea ; Students, Nursing/*psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Universities ; Vaccination/*psychology ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the actual state of influenza vaccination among pregnant women and factors affecting vaccination rate. METHODS: Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. Participants were pregnant women who participated in a prenatal education program at an acute care hospital in 2013. Data collected from 218 pregnant women were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 Program. RESULTS: Only 48.6% of the pregnant women had received vaccination when the influenza was prevalent. Statistically significant factors affecting the influenza vaccination rate among pregnant women were vaccination experience in the previous year, knowledge and attitude about vaccination, and gestation period. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that the influenza vaccination rate among pregnant women is lower than that of elders, healthcare workers, and patients with chronic diseases, who have been considered to be the mandatory vaccination recipients. Therefore, it is necessary to develop programs and policies which provide information including safety of vaccines for pregnant women and to induce positive attitudes towards vaccination for these women, in order to ultimately improve the vaccination rate.
Adult ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines/*immunology ; Influenza, Human/*prevention & control ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women/*psychology ; Questionnaires ; Vaccination/*statistics & numerical data

OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors influencing commitment to human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination and prior vaccination among female college students in northern Taiwan. METHODS: A quota sample of 400 female college students was recruited from nine colleges in northern Taiwan during March 2013. Of these, 398 completed the self administered questionnaire which was designed based on the health promotion model. RESULTS: The results showed that factors associated with prior vaccination behavior were family history of gynecologic malignancy, ever being advised to get HPV vaccination, perceived barriers of action and perceived self-efficacy. Predictors for commitment to HPV vaccination in the next 6 months were the cost of vaccination, ever being advised to get HPV vaccination, perceived self-efficacy and situational influences. Perceived self-efficacy was significantly influenced by relationship status, past receipt of a recommendation for HPV vaccination and level of knowledge about HPV. CONCLUSION: When formulating vaccination policies, governmental or medical institutions should include these factors to promote vaccination.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Health Promotion/methods ; Humans ; Papillomavirus Infections/complications/*prevention & control ; *Papillomavirus Vaccines ; Self Efficacy ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Students/*psychology ; Taiwan ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/*prevention & control/virology ; Vaccination/psychology/statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult

Hepatitis A can cause serious illness among adolescents and adults with low vaccination coverage. Even though hepatitis A vaccine is one of the strong candidates for Korean national immunization program, adolescents aged older than 12 yr would not benefit. Our purpose was to assess the willingness and analyze the correlates of Korean mothers for hepatitis A (HepA) vaccination to develop strategies for HepA vaccination. A national telephone survey on 800 mothers with children aged 7-18 yr was conducted with random-digit dialing method. Sixty-two percent and 92% of the mothers reported that they were willing to HepA vaccination at current cost and at half of the current cost, respectively. However, at current cost, only 79% wished to vaccinate their child in an epidemic and 32% wished to vaccinate promptly. Having two or more children, not having future plans to send the child overseas, and low family income were significantly associated with not willing to HepA vaccination. Low perception of the susceptibility for hepatitis A and perception of the current cost as barrier increased the odds of unwillingness to vaccination at current cost and to prompt vaccination. The mothers' willingness to HepA vaccination for the children aged 7-18 yr in Korea was not very high at current cost and associated socioeconomic status and health-belief. Targeted intervention or strategies are needed to increase the HepA vaccination rate among children in Korea.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Demography ; Female ; Health Status ; Health Surveys ; Hepatitis A/economics/*prevention & control ; Hepatitis A Vaccines/economics/*immunology ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mothers/psychology ; Republic of Korea ; Social Class ; *Vaccination

Influenza viruses have raised public health concerns by seasonal epidemics and intermittent pandemics. Vaccination is considered as the most effective method for preventing influenza infection in humans. Current influenza vaccines are mostly produced in fertile chicken eggs. However, disadvantages of egg-based vaccines, such as egg dependency, labor-intensive manufacturing system, and huddle for large-scale output, allow us to make an alternative method. A cell-culture platform may be a fine alternative for the next generation vaccine technique. Compared with a classical egg-based method, cell-grown vaccines provide stable pipeline even in the pandemic situation with shorter lead-in times. In addition, cell-grown vaccines are flexible for altering production scales because stocked cell batches can be easily sub-cultured in large quantity without worrying avian diseases and a resultant decrease in egg production. By World Health Organization, MDCK, PER.C6, and Vero cells are only recommended for manufacturing influenza vaccines. In this review, we discuss the necessity, immunogenicity, and efficacy of cell-grown influenza vaccines compared with egg-based vaccines.
Animals ; Bird Diseases ; Chickens ; Dependency (Psychology) ; Eggs ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines ; Influenza, Human ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Ovum ; Pandemics ; Public Health ; Seasons ; Vaccination ; Vaccines ; Vero Cells ; Weights and Measures ; World Health Organization

PURPOSE: Despite the ready availability of pneumococcal vaccine, vaccination rates are quite low in South Korea. This study was designed to assess perceptions and awareness about pneumococcal vaccines among subjects at risk and find strategies to increases vaccine coverage rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional, community-based survey was conducted to assess perceptions about the pneumococcal vaccine at a local public health center. In a tertiary hospital, an outpatient-based pneumococcal vaccine campaign was carried out for the elderly and individuals with chronic co-morbidities from May to July of 2007. RESULTS: Based on the survey, only 7.6% were ever informed about pneumococcal vaccination. The coverage rates of the pneumococcal vaccine before and after the hospital campaign showed an increased annual rate from 3.39% to 5.91%. The most common reason for vaccination was "doctor's advice" (53.3%). As for the reasons for not receiving vaccination, about 75% of high risk patients were not aware of the pneumococcal vaccine, which was the most important barrier to vaccination. Negative clinician's attitude was the second most common cause of non-vaccination. CONCLUSION: Annual outpatient-based campaigns early in the influenza season may improve pneumococcal vaccine coverage rates. Doctor's advice was the most important encouraging factor for vaccination.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Ambulatory Care ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Immunization Programs ; Male ; Patients/*psychology ; Physicians/*psychology ; *Pneumococcal Vaccines ; Republic of Korea ; Vaccination/*psychology

PURPOSE: Despite the well-known public health benefits of vaccination, increasing public concern about the safety of childhood vaccinations has led some parents to refuse or hesitate having their children immunized. The purpose of this study was to identify the subjectivity of parents toward refusal of childhood vaccination. METHODS: Q-methodology, in which subjective viewpoints are explored and analyzed using a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques, was used. Thirty-five participants were asked to rank 42 statements on diverse issues of childhood vaccination according to a continuous 9-point scale ranging from -4 for strongly disagree to +4 for strongly agree. Collected data was analyzed using the PC-QUANAL program. RESULTS: The results revealed three discrete groups of parents in the refusal of children's immunization: type I, distrust; type II, concern about side effects, and type III, belief that vaccinations are unnecessary. CONCLUSION: Special nurse counselors who can provide correct information about vaccination based on the three types should be part of the government policy. Customized education programs to shift viewpoints should be also redeveloped according to the results in this study.
Child ; Counseling ; Disulfiram ; Humans ; Parents ; Public Health ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Vaccination