Healthcare worker influenza vaccination is associated with reduced rates of sickness absence

Abstract

Background: Healthcare workers are advised to have annual influenza vaccination, to protect vulnerable patients in a healthcare setting. Survey data suggest that beliefs about the effectiveness of the vaccination differ between those who are or are not vaccinated, so information on efficacy is potentially important.(1)

Methods: We studied 'Flu season (October to March) sickness absence rates in NHS trusts for 2011/12, 12/13 and 13/14. A mixed effects linear model with random effect for healthcare trust was used to evaluate the impact of 'flu vaccine uptake (all NHS healthcare staff) on sickness absence - the ratio between the “Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Number of Days Sick” and “FTE Number of Days Available” - adjusting for excess winter mortality, type of trust, 'satisfaction' measures from the NHS staff survey and vaccine efficacy.

Data sources: Health and Social Care information centre (sickness absence rates), Public Health England (seasonal flu vaccine uptake), Office of National Statistics (Excess Winter Mortality) and NHS England (NHS staff survey for the years 2012, 2013 and 2014).

Results: Data were available for 216 NHS organisations in England - 17 acute (specialist) trusts, 132 acute, 10 ambulance, 47 mental health/learning disability and 10 community. Vaccination rate was 47%. The effect of vaccine uptake was significant, reducing NHS staff sickness absence rate by 0.42%, or ∼9.3% on an overall average sickness absence rate of 4.5%.

Conclusion: These data support the effectiveness of 'flu vaccination for healthcare workers.

1. Shrikrishna D, Williams S, Restrick L, Hopkinson NS. Influenza vaccination for NHS staff: attitudes and uptake. BMJ Open Respiratory Research 2015; 2.