Prevalence and determinants of influenza vaccination in Australians aged 40 years and over--a national survey.
OBJECTIVE
To determine influenza vaccination coverage in 2001 in Australian adults aged > or = 40 years, assess awareness of and attitudes to influenza vaccine, factors associated with vaccination, and estimate uptake of free vaccine provided to those aged > or = 65 years.


METHODS
National computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) survey in October/November 2001.


RESULTS
Interviews were completed with 5,266 people aged > or = 65 and 2,415 aged 40-64 years. Thirty per cent of selected households participated. Overall, 67% of respondents believed that the vaccine was somewhat to very effective in preventing influenza. Seventy-eight per cent of those aged > or = 65 years reported influenza vaccination; 89% had received it free. Independent predictors of vaccination were: belief that influenza vaccine is effective in preventing influenza (OR=13.5, 95% CI 10.6-17.2); and the presence of chronic disease (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.0). Overall, 24% of those aged 40-64 years were vaccinated; only 34% of those who met any of the criteria for vaccination (medical risk factor, at-risk occupation, or being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) reported vaccination.


CONCLUSIONS
Influenza vaccine coverage was high in those aged > or = 65 years, but coverage of those at-risk aged 40-64 years remained suboptimal. Immunisation against influenza was influenced more by beliefs about the vaccine's effectiveness and existing medical risk factors, rather than socio-demographic factors such as gender and income.
Horby
Peter W
PW
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, New South Wales.
Williams
Alison
A
Burgess
Margaret A
MA
Wang
Han
H
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends
D007252:Influenza Vaccines