Medical Residents' Behaviours toward Compulsory COVID-19 Vaccination in a Tertiary Hospital in Italy.
Flavia Beccia, Giovanni Aulino, Carlotta Amantea, Alberto Lontano, Gerardo Altamura, Eleonora Marziali, Maria Francesca Rossi, Domenico Pascucci, Paolo Emilio Santoro, Antonio Oliva, Giovanni Capelli, Bruno Federico, Gianfranco Damiani, Patrizia Laurenti
Author Information
Flavia Beccia: Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Giovanni Aulino: Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Health Surveillance and Bioethics, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Carlotta Amantea: Section of Occupational Health, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Alberto Lontano: Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Gerardo Altamura: Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Eleonora Marziali: Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy.
Maria Francesca Rossi: Section of Occupational Health, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Domenico Pascucci: Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Paolo Emilio Santoro: Section of Occupational Health, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Antonio Oliva: Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Health Surveillance and Bioethics, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Giovanni Capelli: National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Roma, Italy.
Bruno Federico: Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy.
Gianfranco Damiani: Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
Patrizia Laurenti: Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy. ORCID
To maintain safety conditions in the provision of care and assistance, and to protect healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients, the Italian government required compulsory COVID-19 vaccination for HCWs, including medical residents (MRs). The aim of this study was to assess COVID-19 vaccination coverage in MRs in a large tertiary hospital in Italy, before and after the introduction of compulsory vaccination, according to demographic characteristics and specific residency. A database on COVID-19 vaccination status and infection of resident medical doctors was created. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were carried out on the data. A total of 1894 MRs were included in the study. Being vaccinated in the same hospital as the residency program was significantly related to the year of residency and being enrolled in a frontline residency. A significant association between compliance with the compulsory primary cycle vaccination and vaccination in the hospital residency was observed. Being enrolled in the second, third, and last years of residency, and in a frontline residency, were predictive of being vaccinated in the residency hospital. Almost 100% of the MRs participating in the study were vaccinated against COVID-19. Compulsory vaccination of HCWs, alongside greater and clearer information about the risks and benefits of vaccination, represents an important booster to ensure public health and to promote quality and safety of care.
