Influenza Information Needs of Primary Care Physicians

Background:  Information to help public health officials understand primary care physicians’ plans for stocking influenza vaccine and their influenza-related information needs would be beneficial.

Objectives:  To understand influenza vaccine planning and information needs among primary care providers.

Methods:  In the summer of 2010, we conducted a mailed survey of a national random sample of 1500 family physicians (FPs), 1500 general internists (IMs), and 1500 pediatricians (PDs) in office-based primary care.

Results:  The overall response rate was 70%.  Although 99% of respondents said injectable influenza vaccine would be available in their practice for the 2010-11 influenza season, the expected availability of intranasal vaccine (LAIV) was highly variable across specialty (45% FPs, 24% IMs, 90% PDs).  At least 20% of respondents reported a high priority need for additional guidance for all influenza vaccine-related topics listed, with the highest proportion being for prioritization of subpopulations if vaccine supply is limited (56%) and use of the higher dose vaccine for the elderly (49%, FPs and IMs only).  Other high priority information needs included guidance on the number of doses needed for children (32%), the optimal timing for vaccination of pregnant women (25%), staff education on LAIV administration (23%), and when to use LAIV vs injectable vaccine (20%).

Conclusions:  Primary care providers have significant information needs related to influenza vaccine.  Local and state public health officials should target both pediatric and adult primary care providers in their educational efforts around influenza vaccine.