Examining Perceptions about Mandatory Influenza Vaccination of Healthcare Workers through Online Comments on News Stories.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The aim of this study was to understand online public perceptions of the debate surrounding the choice of annual influenza vaccinations or wearing masks as a condition of employment for healthcare workers, such as the one enacted in British Columbia in August 2012.

Methods

Four national and 82 local (British Columbia) Canadian online news sites were searched for articles posted between August 2012 and May 2013 containing the words "healthcare workers" and "mandatory influenza vaccinations/immunizations" or "mandatory flu shots and healthcare workers." We included articles from sources that predominantly concerned our topic of interest and that generated reader comments. Two researchers coded the unedited comments using thematic analysis, categorizing codes to allo

SUBMITTER: Lei Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4473076 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature