Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in patients with chronic lung diseases.
Despite strong recommendations, immunization rates for influenza and pneumococci are low. We aimed to analyse the vaccination status and its determinants in patients with chronic lung diseases.


METHODS
Information about actual influenza (IV) and pneumococcal (PV) vaccination status was obtained by a standardised questionnaire from 2491 patients presenting to a specialised centre of respiratory medicine in Rotenburg/Wuemme (Germany). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify potential determinants of IV and PV.


RESULTS
Of 2131 patients with asthma and/or COPD, included into detailed analyses (52.0% male, mean age 56.6 years), 46.5% had received an IV and 14.6% a PV. Main reason for not being vaccinated was the lack of information, reaching 87.6% for PV (53.5% for IV); 37.0% saw no reason for an IV (PV 21.3%). Vaccination rates differed depending on the patients' age and education level.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate a marked information deficit on immunization which is explicitly higher for PV. Target-group-specific strategies should increase the knowledge on vaccinations in order to avoid the development or aggravation of acute and chronic lung diseases.
Institute of Social Medicine, Medical University Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Germany. yvonne.schoefer@gsf.de
Yvonne
Y
Schoefer
Tom
T
Schaberg
Heiner
H
Raspe
Torsten
T
Schaefer
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines