Notification about influenza vaccination in Belgium: a descriptive study of how people want to be informed

• Published in: Primary care respiratory journal 2012-09, Vol.21 (3), p.308-312
• Main Authors: Van Rossem, Inès, Vandevoorde, Jan, Buyl, Ronald, Deridder, Sander, Devroey, Dirk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Belgium; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Preference; Reminder Systems; Research Paper; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vaccination
• ISSN: 1471-4418; 1475-1534
• DOI: 10.4104/pcrj.2012.00012

Influenza causes a substantial socioeconomic burden. In Belgium, only 54% of the target group receives an annual vaccination. Patient reminder/recall systems are effective in improving vaccination rates in primary care, but little is known about patients' preferences on notification of influenza vaccination. To evaluate whether general practice patients wish to be notified of the possibility of receiving influenza immunisation, and how. In January 2008, 750 questionnaires were handed out to all consecutive patients aged >18 years in three Belgian general practices. Main outcome measures were the percentage wanting to be notified, demographic and medical factors influencing the information needs of the patients and the specific way in which patients wanted to be notified. About 80% of respondents wanted to be notified of the possibility of influenza vaccination. Logistic regression analysis showed that those who had previously been vaccinated particularly wished to be notified, both in the total population (OR 4.45; 95% CI 2.87 to 6.90; p