Knowledge, Perceptions, and Self-Reported Rates of Influenza Immunization among Canadians at High Risk from Influenza: A Cross-Sectional Survey

• Published in: Vaccines (Basel) 2023-08, Vol.11 (8), p.1378
• Main Authors: Roumeliotis, Paul, Houle, Sherilyn K D, Johal, Ajit, Roy, Bertrand, Boivin, Wendy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; adults 18–64 years; adults ≥ 65 years of age; Age; Anemia; Asthma; Body mass index; Canadians; Cardiovascular disease; Chronic illnesses; chronic medical conditions; Comorbidity; Complications; Coronaviruses; COVID-19 vaccines; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; Demographic aspects; Demographics; Diabetes; Forecasts and trends; Gender; Heart; Hospitalization; Hypertension; Immunization; Influenza; influenza vaccination; Influenza vaccines; Lung diseases; Metabolism; Older people; Pneumonia; Polls & surveys; Public health; Public opinion; Questionnaires; Response rates; Risk; Self report; Surveys; Vaccination; vaccination coverage; Vaccines
• ISSN: 2076-393X; 2076-393X
• DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11081378

The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that 80% of high-risk persons, including adults aged ≥65 years and 18-64 years with certain comorbidities, be vaccinated against influenza. During the 2022-2023 influenza season, we conducted an online survey of 3000 Canadian residents aged ≥18 years randomly recruited from the Léger Opinion (LEO) consumer panel to assess knowledge and perceptions about influenza vaccination as well as survey self-reported vaccination rates. Overall, 47.3% received an influenza vaccination during the 2022-2023 season. Vaccination rates among persons aged 18-64 years with high-risk medical conditions (n = 686) and among adults aged ≥65 years (n = 708) were 46.4% and 77.4%, respectively; 77.8% and 88.5%, respectively, believed influenza vaccination was important for people at high risk from influenza. Only 35.8% of adults aged 18-64 years with comorbidities were aware of being at high risk; 66.0% of this group was vaccinated against influenza, compared with 37.0% of those unaware of being at high-risk. During 2022-2023, 51.3% of people aged ≥65 years and 43.0% of people aged 18-64 years with comorbidities discussed influenza vaccination with healthcare providers. These findings suggest gaps in education regarding the importance of influenza vaccination among people at risk of influenza complications.