Pre-event willingness to receive smallpox vaccine among physicians and public safety personnel.

BACKGROUND

Planning for voluntary smallpox vaccination of health and safety officials began in December 2002.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Surveys were conducted among physicians and fire and police department personnel in Atlanta, Georgia. Information on demographics, willingness to receive smallpox vaccine, self-reported knowledge level, and potential vaccine contraindications was analyzed.

RESULTS

Forty-one percent of physicians (n = 199) were undecided on vaccination (32% would receive vaccine and 27% would not). Forty-eight percent of firefighters (n = 343) and 41% of police (n = 466) were undecided; 23% and 41% would receive vaccine, whereas 28% and 18% would not (fire and police, respectively). Absence of contraindications was associated with physicians' willingness to be vaccinated (P = 0.006). Many physicians (66%) and most public safety personnel (88%) considered themselves inadequately informed on smallpox vaccine. In a multivariate analysis, inadequately informed respondents were more likely to be undecided (OR = 2.23, CI = 1.39 to 3.56).

CONCLUSIONS

Before implementation of the smallpox vaccination program, self-assessed knowledge about smallpox disease and vaccine were poor.