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Murali A, Sojati J, Levochkina M, Pressimone C, Griffith K, Fan E, Dakroub A. A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Community Perceptions of Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines at Turtle Creek Primary Care Center. COMMUNITY HEALTH EQUITY RESEARCH & POLICY 2024; 44:439-451. [PMID: 37837451 DOI: 10.1177/2752535x231205665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Influenza (flu) and COVID-19 vaccination rates are subpar across the US, especially in racial and/or socioeconomic minority groups who are understudied in public health literature. OBJECTIVE The objective of this mixed-methods study was to elucidate attitudes of patients at the Turtle Creek Primary Care Center, a clinic that cares for ∼70% non-white patients, towards flu and COVID-19 vaccines, with the goal of establishing vaccine education gaps and increasing vaccine uptake in minority communities. DESIGN/PATIENTS This study was conducted as a cross-sectional analysis. Authors completed 123 patient phone surveys of patients cared for at the Turtle Creek clinic inquiring about flu and COVID-19 infection status and vaccination uptake (August 26-October 10, 2021). APPROACH/KEY RESULTS We found that rates of vaccination were subpar in the Turtle Creek community, with only 54% having received the COVID-19 vaccine and only 44% receiving the flu vaccine regularly. There was a strong association between COVID-19 and flu vaccine acceptance and a notable correlation between vaccine acceptance and age. When assessing how vaccine acceptance was influenced by trusted sources of information, those who cited trusting "medical professionals" and "word of mouth" had higher odds of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance but those who cited trusting "social media" had decreased odds of acceptance. Finally, we uncovered 14 common factors for either vaccine acceptance or refusal that clustered into four overarching themes of trust, need, safety, and availability. CONCLUSION These data highlight the necessity of improved vaccine education and reveal targetable populations and approaches for disseminating vaccine information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana Murali
- School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jorna Sojati
- School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Marina Levochkina
- School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Kobi Griffith
- School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Erica Fan
- School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Allie Dakroub
- Department of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Nitzan I, Akavian I, Adar O, Rittblat M, Tomer G, Shmueli O, Friedensohn L, Talmy T. Acceptance of Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Following COVID-19 Vaccination: A Survey among Israel Defense Forces Soldiers. Behav Med 2024; 50:98-105. [PMID: 36073723 DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2022.2119361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Data regarding the contribution of COVID-19 vaccine rollouts to real-world uptake of influenza vaccination remains unclear. This cross-sectional survey-based study among Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and specifically, previous COVID-19 vaccines uptake, on the intention to vaccinate for influenza during 2021-2022 season. Participants engaged in an online survey addressing vaccination history and current vaccine-related preferences. The survey was delivered prior to the initiation of the IDF's annual influenza immunization campaign. A multinomial logistic regression model was applied to analyze factors correlated with unwillingness to receive influenza vaccine. Overall, 825 invitations to participate in the survey were distributed and the overall response rate was 78.5%. Among the 648 participants who replied (61.6% males, median age of 20 years), 51.9% were willing to receive the upcoming influenza vaccine. Factors associated with vaccine reluctance included being female, not receiving the previous season's influenza vaccine, not having a previous diagnosis of COVID-19, and having decreased uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Among participants not intending to receive an influenza vaccine, 50.3% stated that they are healthy and have no need for the vaccine and 36.2% stated they received too many vaccines over the previous year. The results of this study may suggest that influenza vaccination rates in the post-COVID-19 vaccine era may be reduced due to a perceived "vaccine saturation" phenomenon, owing to the density of COVID-19 vaccine administration. Future interventions such as campaigns related to maximizing influenza vaccination coverage should address repeated doses of COVID-19 vaccine administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itay Nitzan
- Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Department of Military Medicine and "Tzameret", Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Inbal Akavian
- Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Ofek Adar
- Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Mor Rittblat
- Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Gaia Tomer
- Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Or Shmueli
- Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | | | - Tomer Talmy
- Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Department of Military Medicine and "Tzameret", Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Kelabi HM, Alharbi AS, Alshamrani AS, Baqais K, Alenazi AM, Alqwaiee MM. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Prophylaxis Program: A Tertiary-Care Center Experience. Cureus 2023; 15:e42563. [PMID: 37637610 PMCID: PMC10460243 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.42563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention program at our institution across three time frames: 2019-2020, 2020-2021, and 2021-2022. METHODS We carried out a descriptive, single-site observational study spanning four years, from June 2019 to June 2022. Our study included patients in our institution's RSV program who met our enrollment criteria. We collected information about the number of children receiving immunoprophylaxis, immunoprophylaxis doses, and RSV risk factors. RESULTS The number of patients receiving immunoprophylaxis dropped across the three periods, from 315 patients in the first period (2019-2020) to 176 in the second period (2020-2021), and further decreased to 128 in the third period (2021-2022). Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a 50% reduction in the number of patients receiving immunoprophylaxis. The proportion of RSV-infected patients remained relatively similar in the first and second periods (2.86% and 2.27%, respectively) but increased in the third period (5.47%). In the first period, most patients (60.32%) received seven doses, 11.75% got four to six doses, and 27.95% received three doses or fewer. The second period saw 59.66% of patients receiving four to six doses and 40.34% receiving three doses or fewer. In the third period, a mere 9.38% received four to five doses, while 90.63% got three doses or fewer. CONCLUSIONS While preventative measures associated with COVID-19 may have helped reduce the number of RSV cases, the pandemic seems to have caused a significant decrease in the number of children receiving immunoprophylaxis and the doses of immunoprophylaxis. More extensive, multicenter research is needed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on RSV immunoprophylaxis, its activity, and seasonal patterns fully.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza M Kelabi
- Department of Pediatrics, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Ministry of Defense, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Adel S Alharbi
- Department of Pediatrics, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Ministry of Defense, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Abdullah S Alshamrani
- Department of Pediatrics, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Ministry of Defense, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Khaled Baqais
- Department of Pediatrics, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Ministry of Defense, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Ayed M Alenazi
- Department of Pediatrics, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Ministry of Defense, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Mansour M Alqwaiee
- Department of Pediatrics, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Ministry of Defense, Riyadh, SAU
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Kwon KW, Bae KH, Park JH, Kim TO, Kim JY, Baek SM, Park SH, Lee JY, Park BH, Han MA. Influenza Vaccination Rate and Related Factors in Korean Adults During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Epidemic. Asia Pac J Public Health 2023; 35:217-220. [PMID: 37171247 PMCID: PMC10009003 DOI: 10.1177/10105395231160917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Wan Kwon
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ka Hyeon Bae
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Hwan Park
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Oh Kim
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Young Kim
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Min Baek
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hyun Park
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju Young Lee
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Hyun Park
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Ah Han
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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Ejchman-Pac E, Wójtowicz J, Zawadzka M. Analysis of Non-Compulsory Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccination among Polish Soldiers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3304. [PMID: 36833996 PMCID: PMC9960228 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic posed many challenges in epidemiology, health care, and vaccinology. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies had to develop effective vaccines as soon as possible in order to halt the spread of infection outbreaks and enable the start of the National Vaccination Program. Firstly, medical services and security services (the army, fire brigade, and police), i.e., those most involved in the fight against the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, were included in the aforementioned program. The presented publication analyzes the amount and type of vaccination against COVID-19 and influenza among Polish soldiers. Influenza, like COVID-19, is a viral disease that can vary in its course (from mild to acute and life-threatening). Both coronaviruses and influenza viruses are characterized by high genetic variability, resulting in the need for repeated vaccination during each autumn and winter season. Acquired data comes from the Central Register of Vaccination of Professional Soldiers. The collected material was statistically processed. The average level of the phenomenon was presented as a time series using a chronological average. In the analyzed period (December 2020-December 2021), the lowest vaccinations against COVID-19 were performed in December 2020, which is due to the schedule of the National Vaccination Program in Poland. In contrast, the highest number of vaccinations were administered between April and June 2021, or approximately 70.5% of all vaccines administered. In the case of influenza, there is a clear increase in the number of vaccinations during the autumn and winter seasons, which coincides with peaks in disease during these periods. Between August 2020 and January 2021, there is a noticeable increase in the number of flu injections given, nearly 50% compared to the previous period, which may be related to the simultaneous persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic and greater attention to one's own health. Non-mandatory vaccination is an important point in the vaccination schedule for soldiers. Numerous public campaigns combating misinformation and raising awareness of the need for immunization will help convince even more people, not only among soldiers but also the civilian population, to vaccinate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Ejchman-Pac
- Independent Department of Epidemiology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 01-163 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Julian Wójtowicz
- Department of Medical Law Lodz, Medical University of Lodz Faculty of Health Sciences, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
| | - Magdalena Zawadzka
- Independent Department of Epidemiology, Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 01-163 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health Lodz, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
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The Influence of COVID-19 on Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Activities. Infect Dis Rep 2022; 14:134-141. [PMID: 35200444 PMCID: PMC8872472 DOI: 10.3390/idr14010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Respiratory viral diseases have considerably declined since the COVID-19 outbreak, perhaps through influence by nonpharmaceutical interventions. We conducted a cross-sectional study using the CDC database to compare the pre- vs. post-pandemic flu activity (incidence) between the US states. Our secondary objectives were to estimate the association between flu activity and flu vaccination rates and compare the national trends of flu and RSV activities since the pandemic outbreak. Methods: We estimated the difference between pre-pandemic (April 2019–March 2020) and post-pandemic (April 2020–March 2021) flu activity between individual states using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The association between flu activity and immunization rates was also measured. Finally, parallel time trend graphs for flu and RSV activities were illustrated with a time series modeler. Results: The median (IQR) pre-pandemic flu activity was 4.10 (1.38), higher than the post-pandemic activity (1.38 (0.71)) (p-value < 0.001). There was no difference between pre-pandemic (45.50% (39.10%)) and post-pandemic (45.0% (19.84%)) flu vaccine acceptance (p-value > 0.05). Flu activity and vaccination rates were not associated (p-value > 0.05). Flu activity has declined since the COVID-19 outbreak, while RSV made a strong comeback in June 2021. Conclusion: Flu activity has significantly diminished throughout the pandemic while a sudden upsurge in RSV is a public health concern indicative of possible resurgence of other viruses. Flu vaccine acceptance neither changed during the pandemic nor influenced the diminished Flu activity.
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Gong L, Zhang X, Qu Z, Francis MR, Han K, Xu C, Cai E, Shi H, Hou Z. Public Interest in Distribution and Determinants of Influenza and Pneumonia Vaccination during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Infodemiology and Cross-Sectional Study from China. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9111329. [PMID: 34835258 PMCID: PMC8623096 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9111329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, global interest in influenza vaccines and pneumonia vaccines has increased significantly. We aimed to examine public interest in and actual market circulation of influenza and pneumonia vaccines before and after the initial outbreak of COVID-19 and estimate the coverage and determinants of influenza and pneumonia vaccination uptake following the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We obtained search volume data for vaccines using the Baidu search index and collected the numbers of vaccines issued from the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control. We also conducted a cross-sectional survey among 3346 adult residents to evaluate the coverage and determinants of influenza and pneumonia vaccination uptake in the Yangtze River delta, China, from 29 January to 4 February 2021. Results: Public searches and the number of vaccines issued for the influenza vaccines and pneumonia vaccines obviously increased after the initial outbreak of COVID-19. In the total sample, 12.5% were vaccinated against influenza, and 21.5% had at least one family member vaccinated against pneumonia. A minority of participants perceived that they were highly or very highly susceptible to influenza (15.9%) and COVID-19 (6.7%). A range of socio-economic factors and perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 were associated with influenza and pneumonia vaccination uptake. Conclusions: Public interest in and issued volumes of influenza and pneumonia vaccines increased nationally following the COVID-19 pandemic. Perceptions of high susceptibility to COVID-19 were associated with the uptake of the influenza and pneumonia vaccines. Targeted interventions were needed to improve vaccination coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liubing Gong
- Chizhou Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Chizhou 247100, China;
| | - Xu Zhang
- School of Public Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.Z.); (Z.Q.); (K.H.)
| | - Zhiqiang Qu
- School of Public Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.Z.); (Z.Q.); (K.H.)
| | - Mark R. Francis
- Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland;
| | - Kaiyi Han
- School of Public Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.Z.); (Z.Q.); (K.H.)
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Cuilin Xu
- Yuhuatai Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Nanjing 210012, China;
| | - Enmao Cai
- Changning Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Shanghai 200051, China;
| | - Huilin Shi
- School of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China;
| | - Zhiyuan Hou
- School of Public Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.Z.); (Z.Q.); (K.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-21-33563935
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