Influenza and pneumococcal vaccine distribution and use in primary care and hospital settings in Scotland: coverage, practice and policies

A survey of the coverage, distribution and the factors associated with use of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines among general practitioners (GPs) in primary care and in hospital settings was carried out in 53 general practices in Scotland taking part in the ‘Continuous Morbidity Recording’ (CMR) programme. The annual vaccine distribution increased substantially among 53 general practices from 1993 to 1999 and in Scotland as a whole from 1984 to 1999. From the questionnaire, overall coverage was 43% (95% CI 38–48) for influenza vaccine in the 2000–1 season and 13% (95% CI 9–16) for pneumococcal vaccine in the last 5 year period, in high-risk patients recommended for these vaccines by the Department of Health (DoH). Influenza vaccine coverage was highest in the elderly (65 years of age and above) at 62% (95% CI 59–74). Although pneumococcal vaccination is not currently recommended for all elderly, coverage of this vaccine was also higher in this group (22%, 95% CI 16–29). In the majority of patients (influenza vaccine, 98% and pneumococcal vaccine, 94%), vaccination was carried out in general practice. Only 2% of patients had received pneumococcal vaccination in a hospital setting. The level of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination varied with the level of deprivation. Most GPs considered that the responsibility for influenza and pneumococcal vaccination lay with them. Forty-five percent of GPs reported having a written policy with set target for influenza vaccination and 11% for pneumococcal vaccination.

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Heightened Willingness toward Pneumococcal Vaccination in the Elderly Population in Shenzhen, China: A Cross-Sectional Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Vaccines ◽

10.3390/vaccines9030212 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 212

Author(s):

Minyi Zhang ◽

Hongbiao Chen ◽

Fei Wu ◽

Qiushuang Li ◽

Qihui Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Influencing Factors ◽

Pneumococcal Vaccine ◽

Elderly Population ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

Pneumococcal Vaccination ◽

The Elderly ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Elderly Persons ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

Background: Elderly population is considered at high risk for pneumococcal diseases. The pneumococcal vaccine coverage presents extremely low among elderly people in China. However, the serious event of COVID-19 drives interest in the pneumococcal vaccine, prompting us investigating the willingness to accept the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and influencing factors among people aged over 60 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was employed using a self-administered questionnaire in Shenzhen City of China, elaborating the willingness toward PPSV23 in the elderly persons. Binomial logistic analyses were performed to estimate the influencing factors using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Among 15,066 respondents, 91.5% presented a positive attitude toward PPSV23. Logistic analyses suggested the influencing factors included knowledge about pneumonia (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.391, 95%CI 1.214–1.593), perception of the seriousness of pneumonia (aOR 1.437, 95%CI 1.230–1.680) and preventing way for pneumonia (aOR 1.639, 95%CI 1.440–1.865), worried about getting pneumonia (aOR 2.751, 95%CI 2.444–3.096), understanding vaccine policy (aOR 1.774, 95%CI 1.514–2.079), and influenza vaccine (aOR 3.516 and 95%CI 2.261–5.468) and PPSV23 histories (aOR 3.199, 95%CI 1.492–6.860). Conclusions: The interest surge in pneumococcal vaccine coincided with the COVID-19 outbreak, foreshadowing higher demand for pneumococcal vaccine in the near future.

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Impact of influenza vaccination programmes among the elderly population on primary care, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands: 2015/16 to 2017/18 influenza seasons

Eurosurveillance ◽

10.2807/1560-7917.es.2019.24.45.1900268 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (45) ◽

Author(s):

Ausenda Machado ◽

Clara Mazagatos ◽

Frederika Dijkstra ◽

Irina Kislaya ◽

Alin Gherasim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

The Netherlands ◽

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Vaccination Programme ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

The Elderly ◽

Influenza Surveillance ◽

Surveillance Systems ◽

The Impact

Background To increase the acceptability of influenza vaccine, it is important to quantify the overall benefits of the vaccination programme. Aim To assess the impact of influenza vaccination in Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands, we estimated the number of medically attended influenza-confirmed cases (MAICC) in primary care averted in the seasons 2015/16 to 2017/18 among those ≥ 65 years. Methods We used an ecological approach to estimate vaccination impact. We compared the number of observed MAICC (n) to the estimated number that would have occurred without the vaccination programme (N). To estimate N, we used: (i) MAICC estimated from influenza surveillance systems, (ii) vaccine coverage, (iii) pooled (sub)type-specific influenza vaccine effectiveness estimates for seasons 2015/16 to 2017/18, weighted by the proportion of virus circulation in each season and country. We estimated the number of MAICC averted (NAE) and the prevented fraction (PF) by the vaccination programme. Results The annual average of NAE in the population ≥ 65 years was 33, 58 and 204 MAICC per 100,000 in Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands, respectively. On average, influenza vaccination prevented 10.7%, 10.9% and 14.2% of potential influenza MAICC each season in these countries. The lowest PF was in 2016/17 (4.9–6.1%) with an NAE ranging from 24 to 69 per 100,000. Conclusions Our results suggest that influenza vaccination programmes reduced a substantial number of MAICC. Together with studies on hospitalisations and deaths averted by influenza vaccination programmes, this will contribute to the evaluation of the impact of vaccination strategies and strengthen public health communication.

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Influenza immunization; vaccine offer, request and uptake in high-risk patients during the 1991/2 season

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268800057058 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 111 (2) ◽

pp. 347-355 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

J. S. Nguyen-Van-Tam ◽

K. G. Nicholson

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

High Risk ◽

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Hospital Staff ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

Risk Patients ◽

General Practices ◽

Influenza Prevention ◽

Made In

SummaryCurrent levels of influenza vaccine uptake in patients considered to be at high risk have been determined by means of a questionnaire survey. During March–April 1992, information was sought from 624 patients in Leicestershire, UK with either chronic cardiovascular or respiratory disease, or diabetes; questions related to current health status and the request, offer and receipt of influenza vaccine in the current and three previous seasons. Ninety-eight percent of all offers of immunization were made in the primary care setting, and vaccine was well tolerated as judged by the fact that 86% of vaccinees between 1988/9–1990/1 returned for immunization in the following year. However in the 1991/2 season the overall level of vaccine uptake was only about 41% which is at variance with the stated policies and practices of general practitioners. Opportunities were missed, in both hospitals and general practices, to publicise and offer immunization to individuals with vaccine indications. Future attempts to improve vaccine uptake should focus on increasing the role of hospital staff in influenza prevention, in addition to promoting better vaccine delivery through primary care.

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Influenza vaccine coverage and the attack rate of influenza-like illness among the elderly in Portugal: is there a correlation?

Weekly releases (1997–2007) ◽

10.2807/esw.12.20.03195-en ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 12 (20) ◽

Author(s):

B Nunes ◽

I Falcao ◽

A Machado ◽

E Rodrigues ◽

J Marinho Falcao

Keyword(s):

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Attack Rate ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

The Elderly ◽

European Countries ◽

Influenza Like Illness

Vaccination of the elderly (>=65 years of age) against influenza is recommended in all European countries

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Reactions following administration of influenza vaccine alone or with pneumococcal vaccine to the elderly

Archives of Internal Medicine ◽

10.1001/archinte.156.2.205 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 156 (2) ◽

pp. 205-208 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

P. O. Honkanen

Keyword(s):

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Pneumococcal Vaccine ◽

The Elderly

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Effectiveness of the Brazilian influenza vaccination policy, a systematic review

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo ◽

10.1590/s0036-46652010000400002 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 52 (4) ◽

pp. 175-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Expedito J.A. Luna ◽

Vera L. Gattás

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Influenza Vaccine ◽

Hospital Admissions ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

Seasonal Pattern ◽

The Elderly ◽

Tropical Regions ◽

The North ◽

Keywords Influenza ◽

Modest Reduction

Since 1999, Brazil has undertaken annual influenza vaccine campaigns, free of charge, targeting the elderly population, health professionals, and immune-deficient patients. We conducted a systematic review of literature in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative. We used the keywords influenza, vaccine, Brazil and effectiveness to search the main databases. Thirty-one studies matched our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Influenza vaccine coverage among the elderly is high, though not as high as suggested by the official figures. Estimates on effectiveness are scarce. The majority come from ecological studies that show a modest reduction in mortality and hospital admissions due to influenza-related causes. Such reduction is not evident in the North and Northeastern states of Brazil, a finding that is probably related to the different seasonal pattern of influenza in equatorial and tropical regions. Brazilian epidemiologists still owe society better-designed studies addressing the effectiveness of influenza vaccine campaigns.

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Recent Topics of Pneumococcal Vaccination: Indication of Pneumococcal Vaccine for Individuals at a Risk of Pneumococcal Disease in Adults

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9112342 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 2342

Author(s):

Nobuhiro Asai ◽

Hiroshige Mikamo

Keyword(s):

Pneumococcal Vaccine ◽

Pneumococcal Disease ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

Disease Incidence ◽

Pneumococcal Vaccination ◽

Antimicrobial Treatment ◽

Point Of View ◽

Immunization Program ◽

Vaccine Preventable Diseases ◽

Serotype Replacement

Pneumococcal disease is one of the most common and severe vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Despite the advances in antimicrobial treatment, pneumococcal disease still remains a global burden and exhibits a high mortality rate among people of all ages worldwide. The immunization program of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in children has decreased pneumococcal disease incidence in several countries. However, there are several problems regarding the pneumococcal vaccine, such as indications for immunocompetent persons with underlying medical conditions with a risk of pneumococcal disease, the balance of utility and cost, i.e., cost-effectiveness, vaccine coverage rate, serotype replacement, and adverse events. Especially for individuals aged 19–64 at risk of pneumococcal disease, physicians and vaccine providers should make a rational decision whether the patients should be vaccinated or not, since there is insufficient evidence supporting it. We describe this review regarding topics and problems regarding pneumococcal vaccination from the clinician’s point of view.

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Pneumococcal vaccination in adult patients with comorbidities: a review of the clinical practice guidelines

Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy ◽

10.36488/cmac.2020.4.254-265 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 254-265

Author(s):

Roman S. Kozlov ◽

Irina V. Andreeva ◽

Olga U. Stetsiouk ◽

Alexander A. Muravyev

Keyword(s):

Clinical Practice ◽

Clinical Practice Guidelines ◽

Practice Guidelines ◽

Clinical Studies ◽

Pneumococcal Vaccine ◽

Pneumococcal Vaccination ◽

The Elderly ◽

Adult Patients ◽

Adult Immunization ◽

Polysaccharide Pneumococcal Vaccine

The review discusses national clinical practice guidelines for pneumococcal vaccination in different countries, existing approaches to adult immunization, and highlights key results of the most significant clinical studies and metaanalyses on the effectiveness of 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine and 13-valent conjugated pneumococcal vaccine in adults, including the elderly and patients with comorbidities.

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