title: Influenza vaccination in older people with diabetes and their household contacts.
abstract: People with diabetes are at a higher risk of influenza infections and severe complications. The vaccination of close contacts could offer indirect protection to people with diabetes; this is known as "herd immunity." The aim of this study is to investigate the vaccination rates of people with diabetes and their household contacts in Hong Kong.
  
  
  
  Face-to-face interviews with 158 patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and aged ⩾65years were conducted in clinics. Telephone interviews were then conducted with 281 adult household contacts.
  
  
  
  Seasonal influenza vaccination rates were 54.5% and 27.4%, in people with diabetes and their contacts, respectively. The vaccination status of patients was not significantly associated with the vaccination of their household contacts (p=0.073). Among household contacts, children or the elderly, the partners or couples of patients, and those with more hours of daily contact, or with chronic conditions, were associated with higher vaccination rates. However, only age remained significant after adjusting for confounding factors in logistic regression models.
  
  
  
  The low vaccination rates of people with diabetes and their close contacts highlight the need to promote vaccination in susceptible populations and to educate the public about herd immunity.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: l.yang@polyu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Hairong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.affiliation: Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Yin Hang
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Laam
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: School of Optometry, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Rita Wing Man
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Sum
authors.affiliation: Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Yee Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Feifei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Huaiqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
authors.forename: Lorna Kwai Ping
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Suen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016358:Contact Tracing; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D032521:Immunity, Herd; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines
keywords: Diabetes; Herd immunity; Household; Influenza; Vaccine