The study showed that Polish paediatricians’ decisions to get vaccinated against influenza were influenced not only by what they knew about vaccines, but also by what they believed about them and how they behaved in their daily practice. In simple terms, paediatricians who believed that vaccines are safe and effective were more likely to get vaccinated themselves. Their behaviour also mattered: doctors who actively recommended vaccines to others were more likely to choose vaccination for themselves. The findings underlined how important it is to provide paediatricians with good information about the benefits of vaccination and to address attitudes and habits that may affect their decisions.
The analysis was based on a survey of paediatricians that was completed five years earlier. Two sociologists, Tomasz Sobierajski and Helena Bulińska, wanted to explore in more detail why doctors decide to vaccinate themselves. While my own contribution to this analysis was limited, I appreciated their initiative. Sadly, Helena Bulińska passed away unexpectedly while the manuscript was still being prepared, which was a great shock. This tragic event motivated the remaining co-authors to complete and submit the paper in her memory.