About 66% of health care workers in local hospitals and nursing and retirement homes received a flu shot this season – up almost 11% from a year ago but still well short of the 80% target.
Janice Walters, manager of control of infectious diseases, prepared an immunization rate report released last week by Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health (WDGPH).
She said officials “have to be pleased” because the 2011-12 figure represents an increase from last year, when just 55.6% received the influenza immunization.
However, she acknowledged there is room for improvement, because the local health unit, like others throughout the province, struggles to meet the 80% target.
Walters said there are a number of reasons some workers did not receive the flu shot, ranging from a self-perceived resiliency to the flu to a belief the shot does not work.
“People are under the perception that it’s for themselves, but as health care workers we’re encouraging them to get immunized to protect their patients,” Walters told the Advertiser.
She added public health officials will continue to remind health care staff members that they work on a daily basis with people vulnerable to disease, particularly influenza.
Last week’s WDGPH report states the average rates for staff immunization within its catchment area were 71% in long-term care homes, 74% in retirement homes and 55% in hospitals.
Those figures are up 5%, 13% and 14% respectively, but still below the 80% national target set by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.
According to the WDGPH report, that committee, along with the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA), has stated the immunization of health care workers is “a standard of care which is essential for the protection of patients and residents.”
Further, a flu protocol developed in 2010 by the OHA and the Ontario Medical Association states “health care workers and their employers have a duty to actively promote, implement and comply with influenza immunization recommendations.”
Over the past six flu seasons in the WDGPH area, health care worker immunization rates peaked in 2006-07 at 69%.
The next two years the results were 64 and 65% respectively.
In 2009-10, the year of the H1N1 outbreak, the figure actually dropped to 61%, before reaching a five-year low of 56% the following year.
This year’s overall rate of 66% represents the highest since 2006-07.
The board report concludes that “despite the efforts of hospitals and homes to improve influenza immunization through voluntary campaigns, convenient access to immunization and incentives, influenza coverage among health care workers … is still below the national target of 80%.”
The board of health hopes to “reinforce” the importance of the flu shots for health care workers by following the recommendations of Dr. Nicola Mercer, which include:
– sending congratulatory letters to all facilities that achieved an 80% immunization rate (including the Royal Terrace in Palmerston, which had the highest rate of all facilities in the WDGPH catchment area); and
– publicly disclosing flu shot rates on its website.
Long-term care facilities
The overall flu shot rate for health care workers in WDGPH-area nursing homes during the 2011-12 season was 71%.
Several hovered around the 50% mark, including Caressant Care in Fergus and Riverside Glen and LaPointe-Fisher in Guelph.
Those with rates exceeding the national target include:
– Caressant Care Harriston;
– Eden House in Guelph-Eramosa;
– Elliot Community in Guelph;
– the Royal Terrace in Palmerston; and
– the Wellington Terrace in Aboyne.
Hospitals
Immunization rates for area hospitals were far below the national target (55% overall) and also by far the lowest of all types of facilities.
Results for Groves Memorial in Fergus and Homewood Health Centre in Guelph were barely above 50%, while Headwaters hospital in Orangeville was also below 55%.
Guelph General Hospital had a rate of about 57%, while North Wellington Health Care facilities (hospitals in Palmerston and Mount Forest) had a rate of just over 60%.
Retirement homes
These facilities had the highest overall flu shot rates for health care workers.
They ranged from just over 40% (the Avalon in Orangeville) to 100% (five small facilities each with less than 15 staff members, including Hillsburgh Rest Home).
Several achieved rates greater than 90%, including Wellington Terrace, Eden House, Royal Terrace and Birmingham Retirement Community in Mount Forest.
For the complete report, visit www.wdgpublichealth.ca.
