The role of alternative and complementary medical practices in vaccine hesitancy among nurses: A cross-sectional survey in Brittany

Abstract

Introduction: Given today's increasing calling into question of vaccination, we have studied possible connections between alternative and complementary medical practices (CAM) and vaccine hesitancy (VH) among nurses.

Method: Ours was a cross-sectional study by self-administered online questionnaire addressed to a panel of nurses in Brittany. After adjustment for other proximal and distal determinants of VH, we examined the impact of CAM use.

Results: Multivariate logistic regressions confirmed the existence of a link between CAM and VH. While trust in medical institutions seems to have an important role, CAM use appears largely independent of VH.

Conclusion: Association between CAM and VH in nurses raises the question not only of their training with respect to these alternative practices, but also of the role of medical institutions in the training of practitioners availing themselves of the latter.

Keywords: Complementary and alternative medical practices (CAM); Nurses; Vaccination; Vaccine hesitancy.