A tool for early estimation of influenza vaccination coverage in Spanish general population and healthcare workers in the 2018-19 season: the Gripómetro.

ASBTRACT: BACKGROUND: Electronic vaccine registries are not yet widely established. There is a need to real-time monitor influenza vaccine coverage, which may raise awareness to risk groups and professionals, and eventually allow to adopt tailored measures during the vaccination campaign. To evaluate the utility of the "Gripómetro", a demographic study designed to monitor national and regional influenza vaccine coverage on a weekly basis in Spain. METHODS: Quantitative study based on surveys of the Spanish population between 18-80 years and a sample of primary care doctors and nurses randomly selected. Pre-proportional fixation has been established by Autonomous Communities and age group to guarantee the representativeness of all the autonomies. RESULTS: Interviews were conducted in 3400 households of general population and 807 respondents among health care professionals. We found that the results of influenza vaccination coverage in the population ≥ 65 years obtained by the Gripómetro for 2018-2019 season were mostly comparable with the official data presented by the Ministry of Health after the end of the vaccination campaign. CONCLUSIONS: The Gripómetro is a robust research method that provides real-time data and trends for influenza vaccine coverage along with other useful information related to vaccination such as intention to vaccinate, motivation and barriers to vaccination.

Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and barriers of healthcare professionals and adults ≥ 65 years about vaccine-preventable diseases in Spain: the ADult Vaccination drIverS and barriErs (ADVISE) study.

Since 2018, Spanish National Immunization Guidelines include vaccination recommendations for adults ≥65 years. To determine whether health-care professionals and the ≥65 years target group value the need for these recommendations, a cross-sectional study was conducted to capture and describe their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors about vaccination. Online surveys were administered to representative groups of general practitioners (GPs), primary care nurses and adults ≥65 years from six major cities (and surrounding rural areas) in Spain. Main topics were attitudes and awareness of vaccines, perceptions about vaccination in adults ≥65 years, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vaccination uptake. A total of 286 health-care professionals (185 GPs, 101 nurses) and 400 adults aged ≥65 years participated in the survey. GP and nurse groups agreed strongly about the importance of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in the target population. Longer patient visit times were identified as a key factor toward promoting vaccination. The ≥65 years sample group, especially those ≥75+ years and/or with chronic diseases, was reasonably positive about the effectiveness and benefits of vaccines. Lower vaccination rates for the pneumococcal than influenza vaccine (29% vs. 80%) in the ≥65 years sample group suggest that efforts are needed to improve pneumococcal vaccine uptake. Aligning with other published works, GPs have a key role in promoting vaccination in the target population. The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have heightened awareness about the importance of vaccination among health-care professionals and adults ≥65 years.

Análisis de las estrategias dirigidas a aumentar la cobertura de vacunación antigripal en personas de 65 años y más / Analysis of strategies aimed at increasing influenza vaccination coverage in people aged 65 and over

Objetivo: Identificar las iniciativas más efectivas para potenciar la vacunación en personas ≥65 años en España.Métodos: Estudio observacional transversal a partir de una encuesta a socios de la Sociedad Española de Médicos de AtenciónPrimaria (n=371). Análisis descriptivo y multivariante de 21 potenciales estrategias de fomento de la vacunación.Resultados: Recomendar la vacunación (15,3%), medios de comunicación/redes sociales (11,5%) y captación activa (10,4%) sepercibieron como las medidas más eficaces. En el análisis multivariante, las de impacto positivo sobre la vacunación fueron:recomendaciones profesionales/institucionales (+23,8 puntos porcentuales, pp), detección oportunista (13,9 pp), recordatorioinformático de registro (10,6 pp), registro de personas no vacunadas (9,1 pp), facilitación de solicitud de citas (8,9 pp) e inclusiónde nuevas estrategias en la cartera de servicios (6,9 pp).Conclusiones: Las medidas más efectivas para este colectivo incluyen acciones a nivel macro, meso y micro para facilitar el accesoa la vacuna, explotando el potencial de las nuevas tecnologías.(AU)

Objective: To identify the most effective initiatives to promote vaccination in people aged ≥65 years in Spain.Methods: Cross-sectional observational study based on a survey of members of the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians(n=371). Descriptive and multivariate analysis of 21 potential vaccination promotion strategies.Results: Recommending vaccination (15.3%), media/social networks (11.5%) and active recruitment (10.4%) were perceived asthe most effective measures. In multivariate analysis, those with a positive impact on vaccination were: professional/institutionalrecommendations (+23.8 percentage points, pp), opportunistic screening (13.9 pp), computerised registration reminder (10.6 pp), registration of unvaccinated persons (9.1 pp), facilitation of appointment request (8.9 pp) and inclusion of new strategies in theservice portfolio (6.9 pp).Conclusions: The most effective measures for this group include actions at macro, meso and micro levels to facilitate access to thevaccine, exploiting the potential of new technologies.(AU)

Vacuna antigripal trivalente de alta dosis. Eficacia y efectividad / High-dose trivalent influenza vaccine. Efficacy and effectiveness

La gripe estacional es un importante problema de salud pública, particularmente en las personas mayores. La vacuna antigripal es la forma más efectiva de prevenir la infección por el virus de la gripe y sus complicaciones, pero debido al fenómeno de inmunosenescencia asociado a la edad, las personas mayores no responden eficientemente a la inmunización. En 2009 se aprobó en EE. UU. una vacuna antigripal trivalente de alta dosis (IIV3-HD), con una concentración cuatro veces mayor de antígeno que la vacuna estándar, para la inmunización de personas ≥ 65 años. En numerosos ensayos clínicos llevados a cabo en diferentes temporadas, y utilizando diferentes metodologías, se ha demostrado que la vacuna IIV3-HD es, además de segura, más inmunogénica y más efectiva que la vacuna de dosis estándar previniendo la gripe y sus complicaciones en personas mayores. En este trabajo se hace una revisión de la evidencia científica disponible sobre la eficacia y efectividad de la vacuna antigripal de alta dosis en personas ≥ 65 años, incluyendo información de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados, estudios observacionales de práctica clínica real y revisiones sistemáticas y meta-análisis

Seasonal influenza is a major public health problem, particularly in older people. Influenza vaccine is the most effective way to prevent influenza virus infection and its complications, but due to immunosenescence, older people do not respond efficiently to immunization. In 2009, a high-dose trivalent influenza vaccine (IIV3-HD), containing four times more antigen than the standard-dose vaccine, was approved in the United States for the immunization of people aged 65 years and over. Numerous clinical trials, carried out at different seasons and using different methodologies, have shown that the IIV3-HD vaccine is, as well as safe, more immunogenic and more effective than the standard-dose vaccine in preventing influenza virus infection and its complications in older people. This paper reviews the available evidence on the efficacy and effectiveness of the IIV3-HD influenza vaccine in the elderly, with information from randomized clinical trials, as well as observational studies of real-world clinical practice and in systematic reviews/meta-analyses

ZODIAC: Consenso para la prevención del herpes zóster en personas con diabetes mellitus / ZODIAC: Consensus on herpes zoster prevention in persons with diabetes mellitus

No disponible

[Breast cancer update in primary care: (V/V)]. / Actualización del cáncer de mama en atención primaria (V/V).

Breast cancer is a prevalent disease affecting all areas of patients' lives. Therefore, family physicians ought to know thoroughly this pathology to optimize the health care services for these patients making the best use of available resources. A series of five articles on breast cancer is presented below. It is based on a review of the scientific literature over the last ten years. In this final section, the social, psychological, occupational and family issues related to the disease will be reviewed, as well as presenting some special situations of breast cancer, including breast cancer in men, during pregnancy and last stages of life. This summary report aims to provide a current and practical review about this disease, providing answers to family doctors and helping them to be by the patients for their benefit throughout their illness.