Factors influencing influenza-vaccination in adults under immunosuppressive therapy for a systemic inflammatory disease

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate flu vaccination rates and influencing factors in patients with systemic inflammatory diseases. Methods All patients presenting with a systemic inflammatory disease and taking immunosuppressants, who were hospitalized or had consulted in our internal medicine department between January 2 and 31, 2006, were included in the study. The information concerning flu vaccination was collected with a standardized form. Results One hundred and thirty-seven patients (mean age 53.1 ± 17.6 years; 40 [29%] male patients) were included: 39 (28%) had received flu vaccination in 2005 including 14 (16.7%) of the 84 patients with no other indication for flu vaccination than IS-induced immunodepression and 25 (47.2%) of the 53 patients with other flu vaccination indication(s) ( p < 0.001). The most frequent reasons for non-vaccination were: absence of physician recommendation (58%), fear of adverse effects (35%) and concern on vaccine clinical effectiveness (5%). The vaccination rate was significantly higher (49%) among patients who remembered having received a voucher from the French National Health Insurance Agency versus 18% among those who did not (OR = 4.2 [95%CI, 1.92–9.19] p < 0.05). This correlation remained significant after adjustment for confounding factors in a logistic regression model. Conclusion Influenza-vaccination coverage is low in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy for systemic inflammatory diseases. We have to increase the influenza-vaccination coverage in this population.