Healthy young and middle age adults: what will it take to vaccinate them for influenza?

Starting in 2010, healthy adults age 19-49 will be recommended for annual influenza vaccination. Because they were not previously targeted, little is known about their vaccine-related attitudes and behaviors. Using nationally representative survey data from 2009 to 2010, we found that adults newly recommended for influenza vaccination (as compared to previously recommended groups) are less likely to believe flu vaccines are safe (44% vs. 63%), to have ever been vaccinated (36% vs. 64%), to be vaccinated following a healthcare provider recommendation (44% vs. 52%), and to visit a doctor's office during vaccination season (41% vs. 69%). To boost rates of influenza vaccination in this population, new and untraditional strategies aimed at encouraging first-time vaccination are needed.