Katarzyna Nessler1, Anna Krztoń-Królewiecka2, Teresa Chmielowiec3, Dorota Jarczewska2, Adam Windak2. 1. Department of Family Medicine, Chair of Internal Medicine and Gerontology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Bochenska 4, 31-061 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: katarzynanessler@gmail.com. 2. Department of Family Medicine, Chair of Internal Medicine and Gerontology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Bochenska 4, 31-061 Krakow, Poland. 3. School of Medicine in English, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Anny 12, Krakow, Poland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Poland is significantly behind other European countries in terms of influenza vaccination coverage. In addition, the vaccination rate among health care personnel in Poland is also very low. The aim of this study was to determine the current barriers to achieving effective influenza vaccination coverage among primary health care (PHC) patients and physicians in Poland and to reveal any associations between the patients' and physicians' characteristics and the influenza vaccination coverage rate among patients. METHOD: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was distributed among 18 PHC physicians and 533 their patients in Krakow, Poland and the surrounding region. The data from patients were associated with the doctors' characteristics. RESULTS: The reasons for not receiving the influenza vaccine differed between patients and their physicians. Among the patient population, the main reason behind vaccination non-compliance was the self-perception of good health, while forgetting about the vaccination was the main reason among the physicians. The factors that had the positive influence on the patients' decision to receive the vaccination involved: older age, being a widower, being retired, having a chronic disease, being vaccinated against influenza in the past and awareness of influenza complications. Moreover, those patients who had received sufficient influenza vaccination education from their healthcare provider and had been the patients of physicians who had been vaccinated against influenza, had significantly higher vaccination rates. CONCLUSION: Improved patients and doctors education strategies are needed to maximize influenza vaccination coverage rates. Information regarding the need and benefits of the influenza vaccine, along with details on where and when to receive vaccination will provide a positive influence on a patients' decision-making process regarding vaccination compliance. Also, the free of charge influenza vaccinations for all primary health care workers should be considered.
OBJECTIVE: Poland is significantly behind other European countries in terms of influenza vaccination coverage. In addition, the vaccination rate among health care personnel in Poland is also very low. The aim of this study was to determine the current barriers to achieving effective influenza vaccination coverage among primary health care (PHC) patients and physicians in Poland and to reveal any associations between the patients' and physicians' characteristics and the influenza vaccination coverage rate among patients. METHOD: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was distributed among 18 PHC physicians and 533 their patients in Krakow, Poland and the surrounding region. The data from patients were associated with the doctors' characteristics. RESULTS: The reasons for not receiving the influenza vaccine differed between patients and their physicians. Among the patient population, the main reason behind vaccination non-compliance was the self-perception of good health, while forgetting about the vaccination was the main reason among the physicians. The factors that had the positive influence on the patients' decision to receive the vaccination involved: older age, being a widower, being retired, having a chronic disease, being vaccinated against influenza in the past and awareness of influenza complications. Moreover, those patients who had received sufficient influenza vaccination education from their healthcare provider and had been the patients of physicians who had been vaccinated against influenza, had significantly higher vaccination rates. CONCLUSION: Improved patients and doctors education strategies are needed to maximize influenza vaccination coverage rates. Information regarding the need and benefits of the influenza vaccine, along with details on where and when to receive vaccination will provide a positive influence on a patients' decision-making process regarding vaccination compliance. Also, the free of charge influenza vaccinations for all primary health care workers should be considered.
Authors: Nabil J Awadalla; Hassan Mohammed Al-Musa; Khalid Mohammed Al-Musa; Abdulmajeed Mohammed Asiri; Ahmed Ali Albariqi; Hussam Mohammed Majrashi; Ahmed Ali Alasim; Abdulrahman Saeed Almuslah; Turki Khalid Alshehri; Mohammed Ali AlFlan; Ahmed A Mahfouz Journal: Hum Vaccin Immunother Date: 2019-10-07 Impact factor: 3.452