Early Predictors of Influenza Vaccination During the 2010-2011 Influenza Season

Background:  Studies have found predictors of receipt of influenza vaccination such as race/ethnicity, age, physician recommendation, previous vaccination status, and beliefs about vaccine safety and efficacy. The 2010-11 influenza season is the first for which influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons age 6 months and older. Continued monitoring is needed to determine how changes in the recommendation may alter predictors of vaccination.

Objectives:  Determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of individuals during the 2010-2011 influenza season and identify predictors of vaccination.

Methods:  As part of the Rapid Flu Survey, we conducted telephone surveys nationally and in 20 local areas from November 1-14, 2010. Samples consisted of dual frame landlines (80%) and cell phones (20%). The target sample size was 1,400 completed interviews per stratum. Data were collected for one randomly selected adult and child per household. The survey asked questions about receipt of influenza vaccine last influenza season, receipt of influenza vaccine this season, intent for vaccination this season, reasons for and against vaccination, perceptions about safety and efficacy of the vaccine, and perceived risk.

Results:  Analyses of data were ongoing at the time of abstract submission.  We will describe the KAP of individuals regarding influenza vaccination for themselves and their children, including opinions about safety and efficacy, preferred place of vaccination, and acceptance of school-located vaccination for children. We will compare the characteristics of individuals who were either vaccinated or definitely intended to get vaccinated to those who did not intend to be vaccinated to determine predictors of vaccination during the 2010-2011 influenza season. These predictors will be compared to those found in previous years by vaccination and intent status.

Conclusions:  This in-season influenza survey was a useful early season tool to provide timely data to help assess how the changes in influenza vaccination recommendations affected KAP and predictors of receipt of vaccination.