Swine flu vaccination according to professionals
By / Hesham Reda
Background: Swine flu is an influenza virus which spreads from person to person and can be mutated easily.
New vaccines have been developed to protect people against Swine flu and in these papers we measure the attitude of medical professionals toward these vaccines.
Methods: Using open questionnaire for medical professionals from different countries and ages we asked them about their opinion about the new vaccines and we analyzed these opinions carefully.
Results: 68% refused the vaccine, 23% accepted it and 9% are fair.
Conclusion: Most of the medical professionals refuse the vaccine due to different causes which are discussed in details in this study.
Introduction:-
It is a new influenza virus causing illness in people; this new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spreading from person-to-person worldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread. On June 11, 2009, the WHO signaled that a pandemic of 2009 H1N1 Flu was underway. (CDC “2009 H1N1 Flu ("Swine Flu") and You” …)
Spread of 2009 H1N1 virus is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal Flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something – such as a surface or object – with Flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. (CDC “2009 H1N1 Flu ("Swine Flu") and you” …)
Once exposed, it can take up to seven days before an individual shows any symptoms. (David L. Miller, Swine Flu general information …)
Swine Flu emergency warning signs:-
Children:-
Fast breathing or trouble breathing, Bluish or gray skin color, not drinking enough Fluids, severe or persistent vomiting, not waking up or not interacting, being so irritable that the child does not want to be held and Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough.
Adults:-
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, sudden dizziness, confusion, sever or persistent vomiting and Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough. (Lesley Clinton , sugar and land magazine … )
Patients of Swine Flu should stay home as much as possible, drink plenty of water and take non-aspirin pain relievers for general body aches and pains. (David L. Miller, Swine Flu general information …)
Swine Flu vaccination can be live attenuated nasal spray or inactivated Flu shot, the vaccination is proposed to reduce morbidity, mortality, transmission of the disease. (Vaccination strategies against pandemic H1N1 2009 …)
Because initial supplies are limited, the first shipments of the H1N1 Flu vaccine will be used to vaccinate people in the priority groups like pregnant women, household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, all people from 6 months to 24 years of age and persons aged 25 through 64 who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from the Flu. (Denise O’Farrell, Volunteers Needed at H1N1 (Swine Flu) Mass Vaccination Clinics …)
Recently after the development of the vaccine against Swine Flu, the public are confused about to take or not to take this vaccine so we are interested in answering this question through asking it for doctors and medical students to take their opinions about this new vaccine.
We searched for the best place where we can find doctors and medical students from different countries, ages, cultures and we find that the medical pages are the best way to reach them and we chose the best two medical pages in the internet “Doctors”, “Faculty of medicine” which contains more than 70.000 members.
Questions of study:-
1- What is the degree of acceptance or refuse to the vaccine among doctors and medical students?
2- What are the causes of accepting or refusing it?
Aim of study:-
1- To measure the degree of acceptance or refuse to the vaccine among doctors and medical students.
2- To study the causes of accepting or refusing the vaccine.
3- To provide the public with medical advice about the vaccine.
Methodology:-
It is an analytical study to analyze the opinions of doctors and medical students about the vaccination against Swine Flu.
Study population:-
We asked the members in the page Faculty of medicine about their opinion about vaccination against Swine Flu, after excluding the inappropriate answers we collected the first 250 answers only to be studied as expert non proportional sample.
Study type:-
It is an analytical study.
Study tools:-
Open questionnaire.
Study duration:-
This study extends from October to September 2009.
Data analysis:-
We analyzed these opinions into categories according to accepting or refusing the vaccine.
Results:-
We asked the members about their opinion about the vaccination against Swine Flu virus and we collected more than 300 answers then we started to exclude some of them according to these instructions:
1-As the question was in English, Non English answers are excluded.
2-Unclear answers which can’t be understood are excluded.
3-Answers which have no relation to the question are excluded.
4-Answering with another question is excluded.
After excluding these answers we chose the first 250 answers only to be analyzed into three major categories (Agree – Disagree – Fair) then we analyzed these major categories into subcategories according to the factors and reasons affecting it.
Results was unpredictable with high percentage for who refuse the vaccine in comparison with who accept it as figure “1” shows.
(Figure”1” opinions of the members about Swine Flu vaccine)
Factors affecting acceptance:-
23% from the members accepted the vaccine, most of them see that it is better than no thing, they aren’t confirmed if it is effective or not but they should take it for different reasons as:-
1- Protection is better than treatment.
2- The vaccine is safe especially the killed one and if it has any complications it will be less dangerous than the virus itself.
3- The virus is more dangerous than the seasonal Flu so we must take our precautions.
4- As they are doctors they are high risk group and they have a role in the community in preventing the transmission of the disease as if they become sick with Swine Flu they will transmit it for their patients.
(Figure”2” Factors affecting acceptance)
Factors affecting refuse:-
68 % from the members refused the vaccine and it is very high percentage due to different reasons as:-1- Unnecessary, the virus is not dangerous and has very low mortality rate in spite of its high incidence rate.
2- Dangerous, it has many side effects and it may be carcinogenic and doctors don’t know what it contains.
3- It is business from the pharmaceutical companies they scare people from the virus to sell it more.
4- Not tested well and needs more studies and verifications.
5- Ineffective, the virus is mutating which may cause resistance.
6- Other precautions as improving our immune system by vitamins and minerals in addition to masks … etc are better.
7- Unclear causes.
(Figure”3” Factors affecting refuse)
23% from the members are fair can’t accept the vaccine or refuse it, they have mixed feeling concerning the vaccine as they see some advantages and disadvantages for it but some of them advise by giving the vaccine for immunocompromised and who have low immunity only.
(Figure”4” Factors affecting being fair)
Discussion:-
As we mentioned before we analyzed the members’ opinions and most of the members refuse the vaccine strongly in spite of the great propaganda by the pharmaceutical companies and some governments.
Some of them refused it as they see that it is apart from the pharmaceutical war and some refused it as it is ineffective, unnecessary, dangerous, and not tested well.
Although some governments request the vaccination urgently, 170 from 250 of the professionals refuse it and ask their patient to avoid it.
Some thing here is unclear, pharmaceutical companies, TV, magazines ask people to be vaccinated but doctors refuse it.
Public now are confused, they don’t have sufficient information or experience to judge about the vaccine.
Conclusion:-
After asking the doctors and medical students about their opinion about the vaccination against Swine Flu 68% from them refuse it and advice not to take it, 23% from them accept the vaccine in addition to 9% who are confused and can’t advice with taking or not taking the vaccine.
Acknowledgments:-
1- Testing the vaccine again and confirming its contents.
2- Testing the vaccine again and confirming its efficacy.
3- Establishment of awareness raising campaigns
References:-
1- Centers for disease control and prevention, “2009 H1N1 Flu ("Swine Flu") and you”.
2- David L. Miller, Swine Flu general information 2009.
3- Lesley Clinton, sugar and land 2009.
4- European vaccination strategies against pandemic H1N1 2009.
5- Denise O’Farrell, Volunteers Needed at H1N1 (Swine Flu) Mass Vaccination Clinics 2009.
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