Scientific Background
Influenza, a prevalent disease leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and workplace absenteeism, results in substantial financial burden, mainly due to associated costs of lost employee productivity.

Objectives
The main objective of the current study was to examine the subjective and objective factors, among them a workplace vaccination program, affecting the decision to be vaccinated against influenza among employees in Israel.

Methodology
The research, conducted from November 2007 through March 2008, included a sample of 616 employees aged 18-65 at various workplaces in Israel, among them companies that offered their employees influenza vaccination in 2006/2007. The research questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, subjective factors, and the Health Belief Model principles. Using logistic regressions we analyzed the factors affecting employees’ vaccination compliance.

Findings
In workplaces offering the vaccine, 39% of employees chose to be vaccinated, compared to 12% of employees at workplaces that did not offer the vaccine. On average, vaccinated employees perceived influenza as a more serious illness than did non-vaccinated employees. In addition, those who chose to be vaccinated felt they were more susceptible to illness, perceived more benefits from vaccination, and had fewer barriers to getting the flu shot than did non-vaccinated employees. The analysis results show that the significant factors affecting vaccination compliance include a vaccination program at workplaces, number of vaccinations in the past, higher levels of vaccine's perceived benefits, and lower levels of barriers to getting the vaccine.

Conclusions
A workplace vaccination program significantly increases influenza vaccine compliance among employees by providing easier accessibility to vaccination and reducing costs and inconvenience of getting the vaccine at HMO clinics. 

Recommendations
Vaccination programs should be encouraged at workplaces and public places such as shopping centers at employees’ convenience. In addition, the public should be informed about influenza and the vaccine’s benefits. 

(1) Economics and Management Department, The Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel
(2) Economics and Management Department, The Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel and Ben-Gurion University

Research number: R/104/2005