Argumentaties bij griepvaccinatiebeleid: De visie van verpleeghuisartsen

Influenza vaccination is a common procedure in most Dutch nursing homes and the average vaccination rate is high. This does not mean that there are no discussions concerning policies and practice of influenza immunisation. In a questionnaire we asked nursing home physicians what reasons they encounter in practice for the refusal or withdrawal of vaccination, and which arguments they find convincing for a vaccination policy. In this article we present the results. We notice that the arguments can be divided in two main categories: arguments in favour of invidivual choice and freedom and arguments that are in favour of collective aims and policies. What is considered most important will have consequences for the actual policies within institutions and urges to reconsider aims and policies within institutions: not only to bring practice and policy more into line, but also to be prepared for discussions on new vaccins and infectious diseases.