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Published on: August 14, 2019
Paediatric hospital visit with laboratory-confirmed influenza improved family members' influenza vaccination
Hussein Zaitoon1, Sarah Cohen2, Dana Lahoud1
1Department of Paediatrics, Bnai Zion Medical Centre, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
Insights
A pediatric hospital visit for influenza significantly boosts influenza vaccination rates in children and their families. This highlights the potential of healthcare encounters to improve vaccine uptake and prevent future infections.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Influenza vaccination is crucial for preventing infections, especially in children.
- Low vaccine uptake remains a significant public health challenge.
- Understanding factors influencing vaccination behavior is essential for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of a pediatric hospital visit for laboratory-confirmed influenza on subsequent influenza vaccination behavior.
- To evaluate changes in vaccination rates among children and their family members after a hospital encounter.
- To identify reasons for influenza vaccination refusal among families.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study comparing influenza vaccination coverage in children under 18 with suspected influenza during 2017-2018.
- Data collection through electronic medical records and follow-up questionnaires for the 2018-2019 season.
- Children categorized into influenza-positive (confirmed) and influenza-negative groups.
Main Results:
- Influenza vaccination rates significantly increased in both confirmed (6.4% to 27.7%) and suspected (8.1% to 29.1%) influenza groups.
- Vaccination coverage also rose notably among family members of confirmed influenza cases (siblings: 6.4% to 19.6%; parents: 0% to 17%).
- Key barriers to vaccination included perceived low risk, vaccine ineffectiveness concerns, and logistical issues.
Conclusions:
- A pediatric hospital visit for influenza serves as a catalyst for increased influenza vaccination within families.
- Healthcare encounters present opportunities to enhance vaccine acceptance and uptake.
- Further research into evidence-based strategies is needed to improve pediatric influenza immunization rates.
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.
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