Status of influenza vaccination in patients presenting to two neighborhood primary health care clinics in Antalya.

The objective of our study was to determine the status of influenza vaccination in patients presenting to two neighborhood primary health care clinics at the provincial centre of Antalya. This type of descriptive research was conducted between March 15 and April 15, 2006, at Primary Health Care Clinics Number 9 and 16 in Antalya. A prepared questionnaire was completed by Akdeniz University Medical Faculty intern physicians during face-to-face interviews with 1494 patients. Information about infants and children were obtained from their parents. Data that were obtained were evaluated using the SPSS program. It was determined that 7.4% (111 individuals) of the research group had been vaccinated against influenza. Although there were no infants between 6 - 23 months who had been vaccinated, the percentage of individuals in the older than 60 yrs group who had been vaccinated was 27.9%. The vaccination status was significantly higher in the 60+ age group (p <0.001), in university graduates (p<0.001), in civil servants, in those with health insurance (p<0.025) and in those who had any kind of risk (p<0.001). It was determined that 24.6% of the research group had had influenza in the last month. In those at risk of catching influenza the vaccination rate was 14.9%. In the research group 27.3% of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, 21.3% of the chronic cardiopulmonary disease patients, 18.0% of those with asthma, and 13.4% of the individuals with diabetes mellitus had received the influenza vaccination. It is recommended that all health care personnel working in primary health care clinics must educate the public about this issue.