Abstract
This paper examines influenza vaccine coverage rates (VCR) in Poland and Sweden during the 2003/4 and 2004/5 influenza seasons. An average sample of 2,500 persons was interviewed in each country and each season. Questions regarded age and possible chronic diseases, as well as information on whether they had had an influenza vaccination in the given season. Those who had not received the vaccine were also asked to give reasons for non-vaccination. About one in four (Sweden) to one in three (Poland) of the persons surveyed belonged to high-risk groups (> or = 65 years of age or suffering from chronic diseases). In the 2004/5 season, 17% (CI 12-19%) of the Polish elderly and 45% (CI 39-50%) of the Swedish elderly were vaccinated. In Poland, 9% (CI 7-12%) of respondents younger than 65 years of age with a chronic condition were vaccinated, whereas in Sweden the corresponding rate was 12% (CI 9-16%). In both countries, the VCR did not change significantly from the previous season. Personal invitations resulted in a higher VCR. In Sweden, the most frequently mentioned reasons for not being vaccinated were the assumption of not qualifying for a vaccination and perceived resistance. In Poland in both years, perceived resistance to flu and the cost of the vaccination were the most often mentioned reasons. The influenza vaccination rates in Poland and Sweden remain far below World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for the high-risk population. No increase in VCR as demonstrated in this study may indicate that these two countries will not be able to meet the 2010 WHO target, if no further action is taken concerning vaccine uptake.
Highlights
FUIPET Data collection For the purpose of this study, we used an existing short survey with QUESTIONSABOUTINmUENZAVACCINATIONUPTAKE PERSONALINVITATION FROMGENERALPRACTITIONERS'0S CHRONICCONDITIONSANDREASONS FOR REFRAINING FROM VACCINATION 4HE QUESTIONS WERE DElNED AND NOOPEN ENDEDQUESTIONSWEREUSED&ORTHESELF REPORTEDCHRONIC CONDITIONS WEASKEDWHETHERTHESEWERECONlRMEDBYAPHYSICIAN 4HEQUESTIONNAIREWASTESTEDFORVALIDITYINTHE.ETHERLANDS;= and has been applied in several other European countries since [4]
Studies carried out in eight European countries (Germany, France, Italy, the .ETHERLANDS 0OLAND 3WEDEN 3PAIN AND THE 5NITED +INGDOM revealed that Sweden and Poland had a vaccine coverage rates (VCR) among the high-risk POPULATION BELOW IN THE INmUENZA SEASON ; = )N ORDERTOREACHTHE7(/TARGETFOR ASIGNIlCANTINCREASEIN VCR would be needed in both countries
Statistical analyses 4OCALCULATETHECONlDENCEINTERVALSWEUSED&LEISSQUADRATIC CONlDENCE INTERVALS IN THE STATISTICAL PACKAGE %PI)NFO In order to make the study population comparable with the real population of each country, weight factors provided by the TNS OFlCES WERE USED 3INCE THE OMNIBUS POLLS DIFFER PER COUNTRY the variables used for the weight factor differ
Summary
ELDERLY YEARS OF AGE AND PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS Studies carried out in eight European countries (Germany, France, Italy, the .ETHERLANDS 0OLAND 3WEDEN 3PAIN AND THE 5NITED +INGDOM revealed that Sweden and Poland had a VCR among the high-risk POPULATION BELOW IN THE INmUENZA SEASON ; = )N ORDERTOREACHTHE7(/TARGETFOR ASIGNIlCANTINCREASEIN VCR would be needed in both countries. The purpose was to see what reasons the non-vaccinated high-risk persons in these countries have for not being vaccinated. Personal invitations 0ERSONSATHIGHRISKFORINmUENZAWHOHADRECEIVEDAPERSONAL invitation from their GP were more likely to be vaccinated than THOSEWHOHADNOTRECEIVEDSUCHANINVITATION4ABLE 4HISWAS THECASEINBOTHCOUNTRIESANDBOTHSEASONS"ETWEENAND 2004/5 the number of people in the high-risk groups who received. Data obtained in the study compared with estimates for the actual population
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
