Influenza Vaccine Intention After a Medically Attended Acute Respiratory Infection

Knowledge and attitudes of us adults regarding COVID-19

This was a survey of the general non-healthcare-worker USA population regarding their knowledge and attitudes toward the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost everyone practiced social distancing. Women were significantly more likely to be worried about contracting the virus than men (65% vs. 43%, p = 0.0272). There was also a linear trend with age, with older Americans being more worried about contracting the virus. Women were also significantly likely to have received the influenza vaccine this past season compared to men (60% vs. 37%, p = .0167). Similarly, women were significantly more likely to get the influenza vaccine next season than men (77% vs. 46%, p = .0014.). Overall, across every age group, geographic part of the USA and gender, more (or the same) Americans plan on getting the influenza vaccine next season compared to last, but not fewer. This may reflect more awareness of preventative health brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Physical health and mental health functional status during and following hospitalization for an acute respiratory illness

Background

Influenza is a serious respiratory illness causing thousands of hospitalizations annually. This study used the Short Form 12 (SF-12) to evaluate physical and mental health status during and post hospitalization for an acute respiratory illness (ARI).

Methods

Adults ≥18 years of age enrolled in the Hospitalized Adult Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network study - Pittsburgh site in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 influenza seasons with an ARI with cough of ≤10 days' duration were eligible. Enrollees were included regardless of respiratory pathogen identified by respiratory viral panel testing of nasopharyngeal specimens. Respondents completed the SF-12 at enrollment and 3-14 weeks later. Respondents were grouped using discriminant cluster analysis based on SF-12 individual scores and age. Linear regression was used to predict convalescent physical and mental health composite scores.

Results

Of 72 enrollees who completed both surveys, 35 were grouped as the high functioning group (HFG), 12 as the low functioning group (LFG) and 25 as the medium functioning group (MFG). At enrollment, the LFG more frequently reported body aches and confusion, lower pre-illness physical activity levels and other measures of physical function than the HFG (P < 0.016). At approximately 5 weeks post enrollment, the HFG reported significant decrements in most SF-12 individual scores and overall physical health (-4.26 ± 8.1; P = 0.017) and mental health (-5.98 ± 10.5; P = 0.011) composite scores. Changes in mental but not physical composite scores from enrollment to convalescence differed significantly (P = 0.016) between HFG and LFG.

Conclusions

Although their enrollment and convalescent SF-12 scores were higher, HFG reported larger losses in mental function during an ARI hospitalization than groups with lower enrollment SF-12 scores.