Attitudes Toward Influenza Vaccination Administration in the Emergency Department Among Patients: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Influenza is a serious, vaccine-preventable illness. The current vaccination rates in Canada are below target rates, highlighting the potential need for more convenient ways to receive vaccinations. Wait times to be seen in Canadian emergency departments are escalating, and using the time spent waiting to offer and administer an influenza vaccine could potentially improve ease of access to immunization for some Canadians. METHODS: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to gauge public interest and identify perceived barriers and facilitators to influenza vaccine availability in a Canadian emergency and trauma center. Anonymous questionnaires were completed by a convenience sample of adult patients classified as low acuity (n = 151) as 1 arm of a 2-arm study. RESULTS: Of the unvaccinated patients, 34.6% expressed willingness to be vaccinated in the emergency department. The patients who had received a vaccine in the previous year were significantly more willing to accept the vaccine in the emergency department (χ2 [1] = 23.78, P < 0.001). The 3 top factors associated with having received vaccination in the previous year include trust in vaccine information (χ2 [2] = 27.34, P < 0.001), immunity preferences (χ2 [2] = 32.25, P < 0.001), and beliefs about efficacy (χ2 [2] = 44.90, P < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Patients classified as low acuity were supportive of ED influenza vaccination. In addition, some of the unvaccinated participants had unmet education needs (ie, regarding trustworthy sources of vaccine information, immunity, and vaccine efficacy) that would require addressing before they would likely consider receiving influenza vaccination in future during their ED visit.

Attitudes Toward Influenza Vaccination Administration in the Emergency Department Among Health Care Providers: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Influenza is a burdensome and vaccine-preventable infectious disease. Lack of time was reported as a common barrier by Canadians who did not receive their influenza vaccine. Increasing convenient access to vaccination increases uptake, and a potential setting for vaccine administration is the emergency department, where long wait times are common. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey to gauge health care provider support and perceived barriers and facilitators to delivering influenza vaccine was conducted at 1 emergency and trauma center in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Anonymous questionnaires were completed by a convenience sample of emergency nurses, physicians, and paramedics (n = 82). RESULTS: In total, 86% (n = 68) of health care providers supported vaccination in the emergency department when sufficient staffing and resources were available. When asked to consider implementation of influenza vaccination in the emergency department based on current staffing and resources, only 59% (n = 48) supported making vaccination available. Most surveyed health care providers preferred screening for vaccination at triage (57%) and supported a nurse-initiated protocol for vaccine administration (74%). After Bonferroni correction, there was no significant association between preference for when to vaccinate and being a nurse or physician (χ2(2) = 6.208, P = 0.05). The highest risk patient groups with the lowest provider endorsement of vaccination were people involved in poultry culling (77%) and pregnant women (83%). DISCUSSION: Surveyed health care providers were supportive of ED influenza vaccination. However, this study revealed additional barriers that need to be addressed to effectively launch such a program.