bq. But I read somewhere, a one sentence online citation that I can no longer find, that some health care workers percieve themselves to be healthier than the population at large and thus less likely to get H1N1.

Like day care and secondary school workers, health care workers are exposed to contagions at a higher rate than the population at large and—again, impressionistically—doctors and nurses perceive themselves as having better immunity due to this fact. (Whether that better immunity is understood as broader in the sense of resistance to more contagions or/and as stronger as in “individual contagions are less likely to make me sick” I could not say.) Whether that perception mirrors reality is a separate citation, though I am under the impression that it does.

The New York State Department of Health has mandated that all health care workers working in the state receive the H1N1 vaccine and is being met with some resistance. A look at that issue might inform your questions.

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The NYTimes reports today that:

“Recent polls say doctors and nurses may be more resistant to getting vaccinated than most Americans. The British Medical Journal published a survey showing that less than half of health care professionals are willing to receive the [H1N1] vaccine, while a poll from the Nursing Times found that only 37 percent of front-line nurses plan to be vaccinated against H1N1 influenza.”

The reasons that have been cited for this resistance are in line with those cited by refusniks among the general public, namely concerns over safety and efficacy as well as a low perceived threat from the virus. But I read somewhere, a one sentence online citation that I can no longer find, that some health care workers percieve themselves to be healthier than the population at large and thus less likely to get H1N1.

I’d be interested to know if there is any anthropological research that might give more insight into this, or if maybe there is something about the patient-caregiver relationship itself that may structure the decision to refuse to be vaccinated. Perhaps an admission of suceptibility breaks down the psychological distance between patient and caregiver? Or perhaps there are other reasons.

I’d be grateful if any of the learned people on this forum have the answers and good insights, or if someone can lead me to helpful source material to answer my questions. Thanks in advance. -Jeff-

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– Barbara

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And here I was going to post something about the other 10 incredibly awesome things I have done recently, but I guess if I want to keep all these fabulous friends I have made here, I should have Rex post it. After all, it would suck even more if the world wasn’t constantly updated about every fantastic move I make. I mean it’s not like anyone else does that on the internet, so I have to pick up some slack around here. Make sure to follow Rex’s twitter feed and I’ll make sure he updates you hourly about my incomparable, constant and untouchable greatness.

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Why shouldn’t anthropologists who have done something interesting promote what they have done?

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We expect to hear about the winners of various prizes, but when the author of one of the also-ran books lists those other books, it’s not a giant leap to the conclusion that it’s shameless self-promotion. Better that one of his blog-colleagues had posted news of the nice nomination here, and let Kelty project an aura of aw-shucks modesty.

On the other hand, so what? If Kelty is an obnoxious self-promoting weasel, his close colleagues and students will be the ones to be annoyed, not the rest of us – after all, his promotion of his book is not even subliminal, and most of us can resist easily. If Kelty is just a slightly naïve nice guy who doesn’t realize that some people regard him as an obnoxious self-promoting weasel, then his colleagues and students are probably not annoyed, and I, for one, won’t be either.

Besides, what’s the value in having your own blog if a little self-promotion is out of bounds. Isn’t that ultimately what blogs are, after all?

– Barbara

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Also noticed that since Kelty got tenure every second word is either fuck, fucking, or asshole. Yeah man, now that you got tenure, you’re just so daring and kewl!

Don’t give two shits about two bits.

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