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Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage rates in Uppsala County, Sweden, during the winter of 2004-2005
Vaccine 24 (2006) 6636–6637
Abstract
Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage rates in Uppsala County, Sweden, during the winter of 2004–2005 B. Christenson a,b,∗ , S. Sylvan a,b , G. Erikson a,b , K. Pauksen a,b a
Department of Communicable Disease Control, Uppsala County, Uppsala, Sweden b Department of Infectious Diseases, Academic Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden Available online 21 June 2006
Objectives: The objectives of the survey were to identify the level of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage rates (VCR) in persons aged 65 years and older in Uppsala County, with a population of 302,654 persons, a region close to the Stockholm urban area and to compare the VCR in the elderly population with the last year. The background was to understand the drivers and barriers to vaccination and to
Fig. 3. Pneumococcal VCR in +65 years in 2004.
Fig. 1. Influenza VCR in +65 years in 2004.
evaluate the effect on influenza and pneumococcal vaccination uptake by persons 65 years and older after a personally directed educational campaign informing on the health benefits of the combined influenza and pneumococcal vaccines. This survey is part of a prospective study to assess the VCR and the effectiveness of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in reducing hospitalization and death in elderly persons. Sweden had had a very low uptake of vaccination (4–8%) but after 1997, influenza vaccine distribution increased considerably. The costs of the influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are not reimbursed in Uppsala County.
Fig. 2. Influenza VCR in medical riskgroups among +65 years in 2004.
∗
Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (B. Christenson).
0264-410X/$ – see front matter © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.05.106
Fig. 4. Pneumococcal VCR in medical riskgroups among +65 years in 2004.
B. Christenson et al. / Vaccine 24 (2006) 6636–6637
6637
Fig. 5. Main reasons for non-vaccination.
Methodology: A telephone omnibus was conducted in week 48, 2004, among 300 non-institutionalised individuals aged 65 years and older, representative of the population. The questions concerned whether they had been vaccinated or if they intended to be vaccinated and the main reason for non-vaccination. The question also included whether the person had an underlying chronic disease and belonged to a medical risk group. The criterion of belonging to a medical risk category was prescription regarding myocardial or lung disease. Result: Influenza VCR in the +65 population reached 49%, in 2004/2005, where of 12% were vaccinated for the first time. An additional 11% expressed an intention to take vaccinations (Fig. 1). The influenza VCR in the medical risk groups, who comprised 41% of the elderly population, was 59% with an additional 7% expressing an intention to be vaccinated (Fig. 2). The pneumococcal VCR was 36%, where of 64% were vaccinated for the first time. An additional 8% expressed an intention to be vaccinated (Fig. 3). Among medical risk
groups, 48% was vaccinated with an additional 7% expressing an intention to be vaccinated (Fig. 4). Seventy four percent of the elderly knew of the information campaign and 30% had become more positive towards vaccination against influenza and pneumococcal infections. Compared to last years VCR, influenza vaccination increased with 7% and pneumococcal vaccination with 6%. The main reasons for non-vaccination were unlikelihood to catch the flu or pneumonia, fear of side effects and unconcern. High cost was rarely mentioned as a reason for nonvaccination (Fig. 5). Conclusion: The VCR for influenza and pneumococcal vaccination has increased in the elderly population in Uppsala County since the last year. It remains, however, far from the WHO objective of 75% in 2010. The vaccination intentions were higher than the coverage rate suggesting that vaccine uptake could increase for the influenza season 2004/2005. Educational campaigns directed personally to individuals belonging to the elderly population are effective in increasing vaccination uptake.
Abstract
Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage rates in Uppsala County, Sweden, during the winter of 2004–2005 B. Christenson a,b,∗ , S. Sylvan a,b , G. Erikson a,b , K. Pauksen a,b a
Department of Communicable Disease Control, Uppsala County, Uppsala, Sweden b Department of Infectious Diseases, Academic Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden Available online 21 June 2006
Objectives: The objectives of the survey were to identify the level of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage rates (VCR) in persons aged 65 years and older in Uppsala County, with a population of 302,654 persons, a region close to the Stockholm urban area and to compare the VCR in the elderly population with the last year. The background was to understand the drivers and barriers to vaccination and to
Fig. 3. Pneumococcal VCR in +65 years in 2004.
Fig. 1. Influenza VCR in +65 years in 2004.
evaluate the effect on influenza and pneumococcal vaccination uptake by persons 65 years and older after a personally directed educational campaign informing on the health benefits of the combined influenza and pneumococcal vaccines. This survey is part of a prospective study to assess the VCR and the effectiveness of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in reducing hospitalization and death in elderly persons. Sweden had had a very low uptake of vaccination (4–8%) but after 1997, influenza vaccine distribution increased considerably. The costs of the influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are not reimbursed in Uppsala County.
Fig. 2. Influenza VCR in medical riskgroups among +65 years in 2004.
∗
Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (B. Christenson).
0264-410X/$ – see front matter © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2006.05.106
Fig. 4. Pneumococcal VCR in medical riskgroups among +65 years in 2004.
B. Christenson et al. / Vaccine 24 (2006) 6636–6637
6637
Fig. 5. Main reasons for non-vaccination.
Methodology: A telephone omnibus was conducted in week 48, 2004, among 300 non-institutionalised individuals aged 65 years and older, representative of the population. The questions concerned whether they had been vaccinated or if they intended to be vaccinated and the main reason for non-vaccination. The question also included whether the person had an underlying chronic disease and belonged to a medical risk group. The criterion of belonging to a medical risk category was prescription regarding myocardial or lung disease. Result: Influenza VCR in the +65 population reached 49%, in 2004/2005, where of 12% were vaccinated for the first time. An additional 11% expressed an intention to take vaccinations (Fig. 1). The influenza VCR in the medical risk groups, who comprised 41% of the elderly population, was 59% with an additional 7% expressing an intention to be vaccinated (Fig. 2). The pneumococcal VCR was 36%, where of 64% were vaccinated for the first time. An additional 8% expressed an intention to be vaccinated (Fig. 3). Among medical risk
groups, 48% was vaccinated with an additional 7% expressing an intention to be vaccinated (Fig. 4). Seventy four percent of the elderly knew of the information campaign and 30% had become more positive towards vaccination against influenza and pneumococcal infections. Compared to last years VCR, influenza vaccination increased with 7% and pneumococcal vaccination with 6%. The main reasons for non-vaccination were unlikelihood to catch the flu or pneumonia, fear of side effects and unconcern. High cost was rarely mentioned as a reason for nonvaccination (Fig. 5). Conclusion: The VCR for influenza and pneumococcal vaccination has increased in the elderly population in Uppsala County since the last year. It remains, however, far from the WHO objective of 75% in 2010. The vaccination intentions were higher than the coverage rate suggesting that vaccine uptake could increase for the influenza season 2004/2005. Educational campaigns directed personally to individuals belonging to the elderly population are effective in increasing vaccination uptake.