Influenza Vaccination in China Among the Urban Population and High-Risk Groups

SUMMARYInfluenza vaccination has been shown to be the most effective preventive strategy to reduce influenza-related morbidity and mortality in high-risk groups. Despite healthcare personnel (HCP) being considered part of such high-risk groups, their vaccination coverage is low in Europe. In January 2012, we distributed an 18-question survey regarding influenza vaccination to HCP at Gregorio Marañon Paediatric Hospital, in Madrid, Spain. After we documented that only ~30% of HCP were vaccinated an educational programme was implemented in October 2012 before the next influenza season. In January 2013, the same survey delivered again to all HCP documented a significant increase in vaccination rates (from 30% to 40%, P = 0·007) mainly among physicians and for patients' protection. In summary we found that a simple and inexpensive educational programme significantly improved the uptake of influenza vaccination in HCP in our centre. Nevertheless, vaccination rates remained low, and broader and updated campaigns are needed to overcome perception barriers.

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Awareness, Attitude, and Current Practices Toward Influenza Vaccination Among Physicians in India: A Multicenter, Cross-Sectional Study

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.642636 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Agam Vora ◽

Ashfaque Shaikh

Keyword(s):

Side Effects ◽

High Risk ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Practice Patterns ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Influenza Vaccines ◽

Physician Specialty ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Study Results ◽

Current Practices

Background: Although annual influenza vaccination is recommended for healthcare providers (HCPs), vaccination rate among HCPs in India is generally low. This cross-sectional survey was conducted to evaluate physicians' awareness, attitude, and current practices toward influenza vaccination in high-risk groups in India.Methods: The survey was performed in June–July 2020, wherein consulting physicians, pulmonologists, diabetologists, obstetricians/gynecologists, or cardiologists across 14 cities completed a 39-item questionnaire consisting of 3 sections, one each on awareness, attitude, and practice patterns. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the study results. Statistical analysis was performed for comparison of subgroups by physician specialty, city of practice (metro/non-metro), and zone of practice (north/south/east/west). Level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.Results: In all, 780 physicians completed the survey. Of these, 3.97, 53.08, and 42.95% had high, medium, and low level of awareness about influenza/influenza vaccination, respectively. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) between-group differences were found by physician specialty and zone of practice. In terms of attitude toward vaccination of high-risk group subjects, only 0.9% physicians were “extremely concerned,” while the majority (92.56%) were “quite concerned” and 6.54% were a “little concerned,” with no reported significant differences between different subgroups. With regard to practice patterns, 82.82% of physicians offered influenza vaccines to their patients, 32.69% vaccinated 10–25% of patients per month, and 38.85% required and offered the vaccine to their office staff. Physicians' reasons for not prescribing influenza vaccines to patients included fear of side effects (16.54%), cost (15.64%), lack of awareness about availability (15.38%), absence of belief that it is beneficial (14.36%), history of side effects (13.46%), and patients' fear of needles (11.28%).Conclusion: These findings suggest the need to implement educational strategies among physicians to enhance their awareness about influenza vaccination and improve their attitudes and current practices toward influenza vaccination especially in high-risk groups in India.

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Humoral Immune Response to Influenza Vaccination in Patients from High Risk Groups

Drugs ◽

10.2165/00003495-200060010-00004 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 35-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Lidia B. Brydak ◽

Magdalena Machala

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

High Risk ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Humoral Immune Response ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Humoral Immune

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Influenza Vaccination of Healthcare Workers and Vaccine Allocation for Healthcare Workers During Vaccine Shortages

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1086/502512 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 26 (11) ◽

pp. 882-890 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

Thomas R. Talbot ◽

Suzanne F. Bradley ◽

Sara E. Cosgrove ◽

Christian Ruef ◽

Jane D. Siegel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Close Contact ◽

Risk Groups ◽

The Elderly ◽

Term Care ◽

Vaccination Rates ◽

Healthcare Associated ◽

Vaccine Shortages

AbstractInfluenza causes substantial morbidity and mortality annually, particularly in high-risk groups such as the elderly, young children, immunosuppressed individuals, and individuals with chronic illnesses. Healthcare-associated transmission of influenza contributes to this burden but is often under-recognized except in the setting of large outbreaks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended annual influenza vaccination for healthcare workers (HCWs) with direct patient contact since 1984 and for all HCWs since 1993. The rationale for these recommendations is to reduce the chance that HCWs serve as vectors for healthcare-associated influenza due to their close contact with high-risk patients and to enhance both HCW and patient safety. Despite these recommendations as well as the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase HCW vaccination rates, the percentage of HCWs vaccinated annually remains unacceptably low. Ironically, at the same time that campaigns have sought to increase HCW vaccination rates, vaccine shortages, such as the shortage during the 2004-2005 influenza season, present challenges regarding allocation of available vaccine supplies to both patients and HCWs. This two-part document outlines the position of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America on influenza vaccination for HCWs and provides guidance for the allocation of influenza vaccine to HCWs during a vaccine shortage based on influenza transmission routes and the essential need for a practical and adaptive strategy for allocation. These recommendations apply to all types of healthcare facilities, including acute care hospitals, long-term-care facilities, and ambulatory care settings.

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Influenza vaccination coverage among high-risk groups in 11 European countries

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckr094 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 562-568 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Adrian Loerbroks ◽

Christian Stock ◽

Jos A. Bosch ◽

David G. Litaker ◽

Christian J. Apfelbacher

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Vaccination Coverage ◽

Risk Groups ◽

European Countries

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Influenza vaccination coverage among healthcare workers during the first two seasons of data collection, Finland, 2017-2019

10.1101/2020.09.08.20174771 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Charlotte C Hammer ◽

Outi Lyytikäinen ◽

Dinah Arifulla ◽

Toura Saija ◽

Hanna Nohynek

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Vaccination Coverage ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Severe Illness ◽

Immunocompromised Patients ◽

Web Based ◽

The Mean ◽

Improve Patient

Background: Influenza can cause severe illness among high-risk groups such as elderly and immunocompromised patients. Mandatory influenza vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) has been viewed as means to improve patient and HCW protection. Methods: We analyzed data collected by a web-based survey sent annually to all Finnish acute care hospitals and described the influenza vaccination coverage among HCWs during seasons 2017/18 (without mandate) and 2018/19 (mandate enforced). Results: In season 2017/2018, 38/39 hospitals provided data and 35/36 hospitals in 2018/2019. The mean coverage in season 2017/18 was 88% (median, 84%; range 48-100%) and in 2018/19 91% (median, 91%; range 57-100%). The mean increase from season 2017/2018 to 2018/2019 was 6.5% (median, 3%; range -11.0-33.0%). Conclusions: The coverage of influenza vaccinated HCWs in Finnish hospitals was high. However, there were major differences between hospitals which raise the question about data quality as well as implementation of the mandate, and need further evaluation.

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Community pharmacist-administered seasonal influenza vaccination: a national customer survey

Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice ◽

10.1186/s40545-020-00259-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dominik Stämpfli ◽

Adrian Martinez-De la Torre ◽

Sophie Du Pasquier ◽

Danielle Stegmann ◽

Andrea Brügger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Community Pharmacist ◽

Seasonal Influenza ◽

Age Groups ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Injection Technique ◽

Equal Distribution ◽

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination ◽

Influenza Vaccinations

Abstract Background In Switzerland, the influenza vaccination is recommended for high-risk groups and people who have contact with high-risk groups. Since 2015, Swiss pharmacists are allowed to vaccinate healthy adults after acquiring a certificate of competence for vaccination and blood sampling techniques. We aimed to assess customers of the seasonal influenza vaccination in pharmacies in regard to their satisfaction, motivation, and reasons. Methods Swiss pharmacies collected survey data during a period of 12 weeks from mid-October 2019 to mid-January 2020. Each participating pharmacy was sent 20 questionnaires to be handed out to vaccinated customers. The questionnaire was available in German and French and subdivided into four sections: demographic information, satisfaction, reasons for getting the vaccination, and reasons for choosing a pharmacy as a place of vaccination. We tested for statistical differences in answer tendencies across strata on questionnaire language, age groups, and levels of education. Results Of the 1600 surveys sent, 80 pharmacies sent back 656 completed questionnaires (return rate, 41%). Main age bracket was 65–74 years (26.2%), followed by 55–64 years (24.7%), with an equal distribution of reported sex (female, 49.5%). Of the respondents, 99% would have recommended the service and 88.5% felt very comfortable being vaccinated by a pharmacist. Satisfaction included injection technique, used facilities, preparatory discussions, and pricing of the service. Easy scheduling was a main motivation for choosing a pharmacy as the vaccination provider. We identified minor differences in answer tendencies across questionnaire language and age groups, but not across levels of education. Conclusion Customer satisfaction with community pharmacist-administered seasonal influenza vaccinations is high in Switzerland.

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Influenza Vaccination In Japan Among The General Population And High-Risk Groups

Value in Health ◽

10.1016/j.jval.2014.08.509 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 17 (7) ◽

pp. A804

Author(s):

M. Kumar ◽

T. Fukuda ◽

A.P. Stankus ◽

M. DiBonaventura

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

General Population ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Risk Groups

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Using Influenza Vaccination Location Data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to Expand COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18157753 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 7753

Author(s):

Victoria Fonzi ◽

Kiran Thapa ◽

Kishor Luitel ◽

Heather Padilla ◽

Curt Harris ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factor ◽

High Risk ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Surveillance System ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Behavioral Risk ◽

Community Settings ◽

Behavioral Risk Factor ◽

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance ◽

Risk Factor Surveillance

Effective COVID-19 vaccine distribution requires prioritizing locations that are accessible to high-risk target populations. However, little is known about the vaccination location preferences of individuals with underlying chronic conditions. Using data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), we grouped 162,744 respondents into high-risk and low-risk groups for COVID-19 and analyzed the odds of previous influenza vaccination at doctor’s offices, health departments, community settings, stores, or hospitals. Individuals at high risk for severe COVID-19 were more likely to be vaccinated in doctor’s offices and stores and less likely to be vaccinated in community settings.

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