Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of the presentation participants will be able to identify reasons people ‎gave for not receiving influenza vaccine, by age and risk factor.‎

Background:
Throughout the 2004-05 influenza season and vaccine shortage, CDC ‎recommended that influenza high risk groups receive the vaccine, but changed ‎the recommendations for lower risk groups as the severity of the shortage ‎changed.‎

Objectives:
Identify reasons why people with different risk factors had never received an ‎influenza vaccination, or received it previously but not in 2004-05.‎

Methods:
In March-April 2005, an immunization telephone survey was conducted across ‎San Diego County, interviewing 3,022 adults and 1,120 parents of 6-23 month ‎old infants. Those who said they had not received influenza vaccine were asked ‎why using an open-ended question.‎

Results:
Among the different risk categories of adults who had never received influenza ‎vaccination, the most common reasons were: they were healthy, do not believe ‎the vaccination protects against influenza, or it would make them sick. Among ‎those receiving it in the past but not in 2004-05, the reasons varied by influenza ‎risk factors. Healthcare workers, household contacts of high risk people, and ‎people 50-64 years old said they were saving the vaccine for others with greater ‎need, the provider lacked vaccine, or they are healthy. Those 18-49 years old ‎with health conditions were saving it for others, or the provider lacked vaccine. ‎People ≥65 years old said the provider lacked vaccine, or it makes them sick. For ‎infants, parents said their infant does not need it, they did not know the infant ‎should get it, or they did not want their infant to receive it. ‎

Conclusions:
The reasons adults never received the vaccine were similar across risk ‎categories, but varied among those previously vaccinated but not in 2004-05. ‎More infants' parents answered they did not know of the recommendation.‎