Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Polish Patients with Chronic Diseases.
Patients at a high-risk of severe influenza, because of their underlying health disorders, are recommended to receive a seasonal influenza vaccination. In Poland, influenza coverage rate in the general population is very low (3.4 %). However, there is little known about the coverage rate among high-risk patients. The aim of this study was to describe a general knowledge, perception, and influenza vaccination coverage rate among Polish patients with enhanced risk for influenza. We conducted a self-reported survey among 500 patients with chronic disorders: 120 pulmonary, 80 hemodialyzed, 100 thyroid cancer, and 200 cardiovascular patients. We found the following influenza vaccination coverage in the respective groups of patients: 58 % in pulmonary, 34 % in hemodialyzed, 32 % in cardiovascular, and 9 % in thyroid cancer patients. The difference between the coverage rate in pulmonary patients compared with the other risk groups was significant (p < 0.05). In pulmonary patients, the most important barrier for influenza vaccination was a lack of recommendations from healthcare workers, while a high awareness of influenza was the most powerful driver for vaccination (p < 0.05). We conclude that although the influenza vaccination coverage in Polish patients with chronic diseases is higher than that reported in the general population, this rate remains much below the recommended level and should be improved.
Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Medical University of Warsaw, 3 Oczki Street, 02-007, Warsaw, Poland. anitsch@wum.edu.pl.
Aneta
A
Nitsch-Osuch
Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Medical University of Warsaw, 3 Oczki Street, 02-007, Warsaw, Poland.|Academy of Economics and Humanities, Lodz, Poland.
Izabella
I
Gołębiak
Academy of Economics and Humanities, Lodz, Poland.
Dorota
D
Wyszkowska
Academy of Economics and Humanities, Lodz, Poland.
Renata
R
Rosińska
Academy of Economics and Humanities, Lodz, Poland.
Lidia
L
Kargul
Academy of Economics and Humanities, Lodz, Poland.
Bożena
B
Szuba
Department of Social Medicine and Public Health, Medical University of Warsaw, 3 Oczki Street, 02-007, Warsaw, Poland.
Piotr
P
Tyszko
National Influenza Center, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland.
Lidia B
LB
Brydak
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010465:Perception; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
D007252:Influenza Vaccines
Chronic disease; Influenza; Prevention; Prophylaxis; Risk group; Vaccination