The Degree of Acceptance of Cocoon Strategy of Vaccination against Influenza and COVID-19 in Palliative Home Care Professionals and Caregivers

• Published in: Vaccines (Basel) Vol. 11; no. 7; p. 1235
• Main Authors: Kluczna, Agnieszka, Orzeł, Rafał, Bardowska, Anna, Dzierżanowski, Tomasz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-07-2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Caregivers; cocoon strategy; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease control; Disease transmission; Dosage and administration; Education; Employment; Epidemics; Fatalities; Home care; Infections; Infectious diseases; Influenza; Influenza vaccines; Information sources; Internet; Marital status; Mass media; Medical personnel; Methods; Nurses; Older people; Palliation; Palliative care; Palliative treatment; Pandemics; Patients; Physicians; Professionals; Psychologists; Public health; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Software; Source materials; Vaccination; Viral infections; Poland; United States > US; COVID-19; cocoon strategy; influenza; palliative care; vaccination
• ISSN: 2076-393X; 2076-393X
• DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071235

Palliative care patients are an immunocompromised population, so the cocooning strategy of vaccinating those around them is a suitable protective strategy against infections. This is especially significant for infectious diseases such as influenza and COVID-19, which pose a challenge to the healthcare system. In order to improve the patient's quality of life, it is necessary to develop research-based, defined strategies. This questionnaire-based study was conducted to determine the level of knowledge about influenza and SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus vaccination among the factual caregivers and medical staff in the palliative care setting. The survey revealed that the sources of knowledge about vaccination varied and depended on one's role. Doctors and nurses used professional literature, while other medical professionals relied on the Internet, mass media, and information from family and friends. The study also showed that adherence to vaccination guidelines was not associated with COVID-19 incidence. The overall opinion on vaccination was positive, but the degree of acceptance varied by the role. Palliative care nurses and caregivers were the groups that were the least accepting of vaccination. To improve the acceptance of vaccinations, a remedial program based on professional education should be implemented using the sources declared by the respondents. It may help improve the quality of life for palliative care patients and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.