Paediatric hospital visit with laboratory-confirmed influenza improved family members' influenza vaccination.
Cent Eur J Public Health
; 31(2): 97-102, 2023 Jun.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37451241
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Vaccination is the primary intervention to prevent influenza infection, yet vaccine uptake remains low among children and other at-risk patients. The aim of the study is to investigate the impact of a paediatric hospital visit with laboratory-confirmed influenza on the influenza vaccination behaviour of participants and their family members in the subsequent influenza season.METHODS:
This study compared the influenza vaccination coverage for participants < 18 years of age with a clinical suspicion of influenza in 2017-2018 during a hospital visit, in two subsequent influenza seasons. Data was retrieved from the hospital electronic medical record and a follow-up questionnaire (2018-2019) to ascertain the common reason(s) that families did not vaccinate their children the following year (2018-2019). The children were distributed into positive- (antigen and/or PCR) and negative-influenza groups.RESULTS:
A total of 133 children were enrolled in our study. Participants' mean age was 4.6 years and 74 (55.6%) were males. Overall, 47 (35.3%) had confirmed influenza virus. A significant increase in influenza immunization was found among both positive- and negative-influenza participants between 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 (6.4% vs. 27.7%, p < 0.001; 8.1% vs. 29.1%, p < 0.001, respectively), as well as among family members of positive-influenza participants - siblings and parents (6.4% vs. 19.6%, p = 0.003; 0% vs. 17%, p < 0.001, respectively). Common reasons for failure to vaccinate included doubt in vaccine effectiveness, unlikely to get "flu", busy, and side effects.CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings suggest that a paediatric hospital visit with laboratory-confirmed influenza increases vaccine uptake among families. Future studies should aim to evaluate evidence-based interventions to improve influenza vaccine uptake among children.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Vacinas contra Influenza
/
Influenza Humana
Limite:
Child
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Child, preschool
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article