title: Uptake of influenza vaccination and the reasons for non-vaccination in the high-risk patients of Angus, Scotland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the uptake of influenza vaccination, the main prompts to vaccination and the reasons for non-vaccination in the high-risk patients of Angus, Scotland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective questionnaire survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  A small rural district general hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  General medical inpatients and outpatients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall uptake of vaccination was 44.8% (n = 250). The main prompts to vaccination were general practitioners (48.2%), the media (11.6%), practice and district nurses (8.9%), friends and relatives (8.9%) and posters at health centres and chemists (7.1%). The main reason for non-vaccination was a lack of awareness of high-risk status (50.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The uptake of influenza vaccination in the Angus region of Scotland is unsatisfactorily low. This is mostly due to a lack of knowledge regarding high-risk status, although other reasons, including concerns about the side effects of vaccination, are also important.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Infection & Immunodeficiency, Tayside University Hospitals.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barlow
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nathwani
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000458:organization & administration; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines