U.S. Military Service members' perceptions of the Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program

Abstract

This research identifies the perceptions of U.S. military service members regarding the Department of Defense Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program (AVIP). The service members' perceptions were addressed in the dimensions of ethics, effectiveness, and safety, as well as the overall perceptions of the AVIP. The study, conducted in October 2004, randomly selected active duty service members from the uniformed services assigned to a Caribbean military base who participated in the AVIP during the period of 1998 to 2000. Their perceptions were measured with a survey instrument with 14 closed-ended, Likert-scale questions. The research demonstrated that a substantial number of service members disagreed with issues regarding the ethics, safety, and efficacy of the AVIP. We recommend enhanced training and education to increase understanding of the benefits of the AVIP.