Latest vaccination trends against herpes zoster within two primary care settings in Crete, Greece: Rates and...

This study aims to estimate the vaccination rate against herpes zoster (HZ) among public Primary Health Care (PHC) visitors eligible for vaccination based on the National guidelines. It also aims to explore the determinants associated with vaccination utilizing the health beliefs model (HBM).

A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2022. The study took place in two public PHC units in the Heraklion prefecture, Crete, Greece. Eligible participants were visitors of the selected health units aged 60-75 years. The questionnaire elicited information on participants' demographic data, health habits, and chronic illnesses. The HBM tool adapted for HZ vaccination was also used.

Four hundred primary care attendees participated in the study. Most participants were women (58.5%), with a mean age of 68.1 (±4.9) years. Fifteen percent of participants reported a history HZ illness, while 147 (36.8%) reported being vaccinated against HZ. Older age and respiratory illnesses were associated with higher rates of vaccination. Perceived threat (OR: 1.057; 95% CI 1.022-1.093; p=0.001), perceived vaccination benefits (OR: 1.327; 95% CI 1.179-1.492; p<0.0001), and motivation for action (OR: 2.601; 95% CI 2.122-3.187; p<0.0001) increased the odds of receiving HZ vaccination. Conversely, perceived barriers such as safety concerns were found to decrease the odds of HZ vaccination (OR: 0.845; 95% CI 0.803-0.889; p<0.0001).

This study identified specific determinants positively associated with HZ vaccination, highlighting the need to enhance the education of healthcare professionals in personalized patient counseling.