Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices of pregnant women towards the influenza vaccine in Trinidad.

Abstract

Pregnant women and their babies are at increased risk of influenza-related complications. The World Health Organisation recommends influenza vaccination to this high-risk population as the highest priority. A knowledge, attitudes,beliefs, and practices (KAP) of pregnant women towards the influenza vaccine in Trinidad. It was disseminated to 480 pregnant women attending the clinic and completed by 146 yielding a response rate of 30%. Women who received the vaccine in a past pregnancy were nine times more likely to consider taking the vaccine in the current pregnancy. There was a statistically significant difference in vaccine uptake based on the source of information received by participants about the influenza vaccine (χ² (3) = 9.864, <i>P</i> = 0.020), with the highest mean score for uptake shown in women who received information from a health care provider. A moderate, positive correlation was found between knowledge and vaccine uptake (rs (143) =0.430, <i>P</i> < 0.01), a weak, positive correlation between perceived susceptibility and vaccine uptake (rs (143) = 0.264, <i>P</i> < 0.01), and a weak, positive correlation between knowledge and perceived susceptibility (rs (143) = 0.229, <i>P</i> < 0.01). The study findings highlight that the source of information significantly influences vaccine uptake, with health care providers being the most influential source. This underscores the role of primary care physicians in providing accurate and up-to-date information about influenza vaccination to pregnant women. There is a need for accurate information and recommendations to be given to pregnant women by all health care workers including primary care physicians in order to increase vaccine uptake and reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.