Study examines factors that predict influenza vaccination status in older adults

71 Background: Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for individuals 6 months and older. Older adults are at high-risk of developing influenza and complications associated with the virus. However, < 50% of patients with cancer receive the influenza vaccine annually. In previous work at our institution, a quality improvement project identified that only 40% of adult patients initiating parenteral anticancer therapy between September and December 2017 were documented to have received the influenza vaccine. Therefore, a multidisciplinary student pharmacist-directed pilot intervention was developed to improve influenza vaccine documentation and administration rates, and we sought to investigate the impact of this intervention. Methods: All adult patients (≥65 years old) scheduled for parenteral anticancer therapy during November 2018 were screened for influenza vaccination documentation. Patients were identified by reviewing infusion center schedule. Under supervision of board-certified oncology pharmacists, two student pharmacists evaluated influenza vaccination documentation in the institution/network electronic medical record (EMR) and outside records. Patients with unknown vaccination history were identified for interview by pharmacy students. The student pharmacists collaborated with oncology nurses and clinicians to order and administer influenza vaccine to patients who agreed to vaccination. Influenza vaccination status was updated in the EMR following record reviews/interviews. Results: Student pharmacists screened 617 patient EMRs and interviewed 124 patients to verify vaccination status. Furthermore, 33 patients received influenza vaccination as a direct result of student pharmacist intervention. Overall, rate of influenza vaccination status documentation was 60.5%. Conclusions: Compared with historic data, we found promising results for a student pharmacist-directed pilot intervention, which demonstrated the potential to improve influenza vaccination status documentation and administration among older adults receiving parenteral anticancer therapy.

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Influenza Vaccination Coverage among Older Adults with Hypertension in Shenzhen, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Vaccines ◽

10.3390/vaccines9101105 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 1105

Author(s):

Qiushuang Li ◽

Minyi Zhang ◽

Hongbiao Chen ◽

Fei Wu ◽

Juxian Xian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Older People ◽

Influenza Vaccination ◽

Vaccination Coverage ◽

Family Doctor ◽

Vaccination Status ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Influenza Vaccinations

Background: Older individuals with hypertension are at a high risk of being infected with influenza. However, there have been few studies investigating the influenza vaccination status among older people with hypertension. The present work aimed to estimate the vaccination coverage and determine the predictors of seasonal influenza vaccinations among hypertensive patients aged over 60 years in Shenzhen, China. Method: The study used data from an online cross-sectional survey that was conducted in Shenzhen City, China, in October 2020. Frequencies and proportions of all the variables including sociodemographic characteristics and health-related information were described and tabulated based on the influenza vaccination status. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors associated with the influenza vaccination. Results: A total of 5216 older people with hypertension aged above 60 years were recruited. Overall, only 4.7% had received an influenza vaccine in the latest influenza season. Using the action toward being vaccinated as the primary outcome, the multivariable regression analysis showed that participants aged over 80 years (aOR 2.957, 95% CI: 1.784–4.900), obtaining higher education levels (aOR 1.424, 95% CI: 1.060–1.914 for high school, aOR 1.681, 95% CI: 1.066–2.650 for college or above), living with a partner (aOR 1.432, 95% CI: 1.068–1.920), using a family doctor (aOR 2.275, 95% CI: 1.744–2.968), and taking a physical examination 1–2 and ≥3 times each year (aOR 2.107, 95% CI: 1.601–2.772 and aOR 2.118, 95% CI: 1.083–4.143, respectively) were more likely to be vaccinated. In contrast, smokers had less likelihood of having the influenza vaccination than non-smokers (aOR 1.829, 95% CI: 1.208–2.767). Conclusions: The coverage rate of influenza vaccinations is far away from optimistic among older adults with hypertension. Additional works should be undertaken immediately to improve the influenza vaccination status.

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