Compliance with influenza immunization: a survey of high-risk patients at a family medicine clinic.

BACKGROUND: Realizing that influenza is an important health problem and that vaccination rates continue to be low, our primary survey goal was to find factors that affect patient compliance with the influenza immunization program at the Swedish Family Medicine Clinic in Seattle, Washington.
METHODS: Five hundred nineteen high-risk patients from a total clinic population of 4926 were mailed a questionnaire that asked about their influenza immunization history, their assessment of their influenza risk, and their reasons for obtaining or not obtaining the influenza vaccination.
RESULTS: The survey results revealed several important issues about this group: many patients were not aware of their increased risk for influenza; reminder letters were helpful, especially for older patients; younger high-risk patients were less likely to comply with immunization recommendations than older patients; and patients who were noncompliant with immunization recommendations in previous years would likely continue to be noncompliant.
CONCLUSIONS: To improve influenza immunization rates, the following interventions are recommended: (1) reminder letters should be sent to patients at appropriate times to explain their risk factors, (2) younger high-risk patients should receive intensive education about the importance of influenza immunization and why they are considered to be at increased risk, and (3) high-risk patients who have failed to obtain the vaccination in previous years should be the target of intensified efforts.