Improving Influenza Vaccination Rates— A Straightforward Task or a Multifaceted Challenge? — Oak Academic Publishing
Research ArticleOpen AccessGoogle Scholar indexed
Improving Influenza Vaccination Rates— A Straightforward Task or a Multifaceted Challenge?
Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, JJ Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia;Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, JJ Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
1 Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, JJ Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia;Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, JJ Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Annual vaccination with trivalent inactivated vaccines has been proven as safe and efficacious in preventing influenza and its complications. It is recommended especially to the elderly (>65) and other people at high risk for influenza complications and death such as patients with chronic medical conditions. Healthcare workers, who are considered to transmit infection to patients, or reciprocally, can be infected during encounters with patients, are also strongly advised to regularly receive vaccines. In order to improve influenza vaccination rates in countries in Europe, health authorities set targets for vaccination coverage by 2010. Despite the substantial efforts done, coverage rates maintain low. It is considered that informed decisions, based on existing evidence, are likely to cope with improving vaccination rates. I ntention of this manuscript is to address some important issues connected with influenza vaccination which, to be ab le to aid the evidence, need to be further clearified. To support the debate, the author presented some dubious facts from the own practice experiences. As a long-lasting solution to improv e vaccination practice strategies, strengthening programed vaccination is suggested. This concept would include implementation of nationwide vaccination protocols and their harmonization by the common logistics, and standardized data collection based on installation of E-health re cords. This strategy would allow data comparison among different populations. As based on this debate, improving in fluenza vaccination rates is not likely to be easy to perform straightforward task, but a multifaceted, long term chal lenge.
T. Szucs, “The Socio-Economic Burden of Influenza,” Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Vol. 44, No. 1, 1999, pp. 11-15. doi:10.1093/jac/44.suppl_2.11
W. W. Thompson, D. K. Shay and E .Weintraub, “Influenza-Associated Hospitalization in the United States,” Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Vol. 292, No. 11, 2004, pp. 1333-1340. doi:10.1001/jama.292.11.1333
R. G. Webster, “Immunity to Influenza in the Elderly,” Vaccine, Vol. 18, No. 16, 2000, pp. 1686-1689. doi:10.1016/S0264-410X(99)00507-1
J. E. McElhaney and E. B. Effros, “Immunosenescence: What Does It Mean to Health Outcomes in Older Adults?” Current Opinion in Immunology, Vol. 21, No. 4, 2009, pp. 418-424. doi:10.1016/j.coi.2009.05.023
W. E. P. Beyer, I. A. de Brujin, A. M. Palache, R. G. J. Westendorp and A. D. M. E. Osterhaus, “Protection against Influenza after Annually Repeated Vaccination. A Meta-Analysis of Serologic and Field Studies,” Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 159, No. 2, 1999, pp. 182-188. doi:10.1001/archinte.159.2.182
L. B. Brydak and M. Machala, “Humoral Immune Response to Influenza Vaccination in Patients from High Risk Groups,” Drugs, Vol. 60, No. 1, 2000, pp. 35-53. doi:10.2165/00003495-200060010-00004
Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Immunization Practices Advisory Committee, “Prevention and Control of Influenza. Recommendations of the Advisory Comittee on Immunization Practices,” Morbidity, Mortality Weekly Report, Vol. 56, No. RR-6, 2007, pp. 1-54.
P. O. Lang, D. Samaras, N. Samaras, S. Govind and R. Aspinall, “Influenza Vaccination in the Face of Immune Exhaustion: Is Herd Immunity Effective for Protecting the Elderly?” Influenza Research and Treatment, Vol. 2011, 2011, Article ID 419216. doi:10.1155/2011/419216
F. M. Munoz, “The Impact of Influenza in Children,” Seminars in Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2002, pp. 72-78. doi:10.1053/spid.2002.122992
K. M. Harris, J. Maurer and A. L. Kellerman, “Influenza Vaccine-Safe, Effective and Mistrusted,” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 363, No. 23, 2010, pp. 2183-2185. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1012333
K. L. Nicholl, “Improving Influenza Vaccination Rates among Adults,” Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, Vol. 73, No. 11, 2006, pp. 1009-1015. doi:10.3949/ccjm.73.11.1009
Council of the European Union, “Council Recommedation of 22 December 2009 on Seasonal Influenza Vaccination,” Official Journal of the European Union, Vol. L384, No. 1, 2009, pp. 71-72.
J. P. Michel, C. Chidiac and B. Grubeck-Loebenstein, “Coalition of Advocates to Vaccinate of Western European Citizens Aged 60 Years and Older,” Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, Vol. 21, No. 3, 2009, pp. 254-257.
Th. M. E. Govaert, M. W. J. Sprenger, G. J. Dinant, K. Aretz, N. Masurel and J. A. Knottnerus, “Immune Response to Influenza Vaccination of Elderly People. A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial,” Vaccine, Vol. 12, No. 13, 1994, pp. 1185-1189. doi:10.1016/0264-410X(94)90241-0
A. M. Palache, I. A. de Bruijn and J. Nauta, “Influenza Immunisation. I. Influenza Vaccination Policies and New Vaccine Developments. II. Fifteen Years’s Experience with a Subunit Influenza Vaccine,” Journal Clinical Research, Vol. 2, 1999, pp. 111-139.
C. Van Hoecke, V. Prikazsky, I. Uto and C. Menschikowski, “Immunogenecity of an Inactivated Split Influenza Vaccine in Institutionalized Elderly Patients,” Gerontology, Vol. 42, No. 4, 1996, pp. 190-198. doi:10.1159/000213792
S. Allsup, A. Haycox, M. Regan and M. Gosney, “Is Influenza Vaccination Cost Effective for Healthy People between Ages 65 and 74 Years? A Randomized Controlled Trial,” Vaccine, Vol. 23, No. 5, 2004, pp. 639-645.
I. A. De Brujin, E. J. Remarque, C. M. Jol-van der Zijde, M. J. D. van Tol, R. G. J. Westendorp and D. L. Knook, “Quality and Quantity of the Humoral Immune Response in Healthy Elderly and Young Subjects after Annually Repeated Influenza Vaccination,” The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol. 179, No 1, 1999, pp. 31-36. doi:10.1086/314540
K. L. Nichol, J. D. Nordin and D. B. Nelson, “Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccine in the Community-Dwelling Elderly,” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 357, No. 26, 2007, pp. 1373-1381. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa070844
W. E. Beyer, A. M. Palache M. J. Sprenger, E. Hendriksen, J. J. Tukker, R. Darioli, G. L. van der Water, N. Masurel and A. D. Osterhaus, “Effects of Repeated Annual Influenza Vaccination on Vaccine Sero-Response in Young and Elderly Adults,” Vaccine, Vol. 14, No. 14, 1996, pp. 1331-1339. doi:10.1016/S0264-410X(96)00058-8
M. Hara, K. Tanaka and Y. Hirota, “Immune Response to Influenza Vaccine in Healthy Adults and the Elderly. Association with Nutritional Status,” Vaccine, Vol. 23, No. 12, 2005, pp. 1457-1463.
L. Majnaric-Trtica, M. Zekie-Susac, N.Sarlija and B. Vitale, “Prediction of Influenza Vaccination Outcome by Neural Networks and Logistic Regression,” Journal of Biomedical Informatics, Vol. 43, No. 5, 2010, pp. 774-781. doi:10.1016/j.jbi.2010.04.011?
L. Trtica-Majnaric, N. Sarlija and B. Vitale, “Modelling Influenza Vaccination Outcomes,” World Journal Vaccines, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2012, pp. 12-20. doi:10.4236/wjv.2012.21002?
L. Majnaric-Trtica and B. Vitale, “Systems Biology as a Conceptual Framework for Research in Family Medicine: Use in Predicting Response to Influenza Vaccination,” Primary Health Care Research & Development, Vol. 12, No. 4, 2011, pp. 310-321. doi:10.1017/S1463423611000089?
J. C. De Jong, W. E. P. Beyer, A. M. Palache, G. F. Rimmelzwaan and A. D. M. E. Osterhaus, “Mismatch between the 1997/1998 Influenza Vaccine and the Major Epidemic A(H3N2) Virus Strain as the Cause of an Inadequate Vaccine-Induced Antibody Response to This Strain in the Elderly,” Journal of Medical Virology, Vol. 61, No. 1, 2000, pp. 94-99. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1096-9071(200005)61:1 3.0.CO;2-C
K. M. Neuzil, “Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Policy-Considering the Early Evidence,” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 361, No. 25, 2009, pp. 2424-2435. doi:10.1056/NEJMe0908224
J. E. McElhney, G. S. Meneilly, K. E. Lechelt, B. L. Beattie and R. C. Bleackley, “Antibody Response to Whole-Virus and Split-Virus Influenza Vaccines in Successful Aging,” Vaccine, Vol. 11, No. 10, 1993, pp. 1055- 1060. doi:10.1016/0264-410X(93)90133-I
S. A. Plotkin, “Immunologic Correlates of Protection Induced by Vaccination,” The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, Vol. 20, No. 1, 2001, pp. 63-75. doi:10.1097/00006454-200101000-00013
C. Hannoun, F. Megas and J. Piercy, “Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of Influenza Vaccination,” Virus Research, Vol. 103, No. 1-2, 2004, pp. 133-138. doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2004.02.025
L. Qin, P. B. Gilbert, L. Corey, M. J. McElrath and S. G. Self, “A Framework for Assessing Immunological Correlates of Protection in Vaccine Trials,” The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol. 196, No. 9, 2007, pp. 1304-1312. doi:10.1086/522428
P. K. Tosh, R. M. Jacobson and G. A. Poland, “Influenza Vaccines: From Surveillance through Production to Protection,” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Vol. 85, No. 3, 2010, pp. 257-273. doi:10.4065/mcp.2009.0615
J. H. C. M. Kreijtz, R. A. M. Fouchier and G. F. Rimmelzwaan, “Immune Responses to Influenza Virus Infection,” Virus Research, Vol. 162, No. 1-2, pp. 19-30. doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2011.09.022
C. Reis e Sousa, “Activation of Dendritic Cells: Translating Innate into Adaptive Immunity,” Current Opinion in Immunology, Vol. 16, No. 1, 2004, pp. 21-25. doi:10.1016/j.coi.2003.11.007
J. E. McElhaney, D. Xie, W. D. Hager, M. B. Barry, Y. Wang and A. Kleppinger, “T Cell Responses Are Better Correlates of Vaccine Protection in the Elderly,” The Journal of Immunology, Vol. 176, No. 10, 2006, pp. 6333-6339.
G. F. Rimmelzwaan and J. E. McElhaney, “Correlates of Protection: Novel Generations of Influenza Vaccines,” Vaccine, Vol. 26S, No. 4, 2008, pp. D41-D44. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.07.043
R. D. Kovaiou, D. Herndler-Brandstetter and B. GrubeckLoebenstein, “Age-Related Changes in Immunity: Implications for Vaccination in the Elderly,” Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2007, pp. 1-10. doi:10.1017/S1462399407000221
W. H. Chen, B. F. Kozlovsky, R. B. Effros, B. Grubeck-Loebenstein, R. Edelman and M. B. Sztein, “Vaccination in the Elderly: An Immunological Perspective,” Trends in Immunology, Vol. 30, No. 7, 2009, pp. 351-359. doi:10.1016/j.it.2009.05.002
H. Kitano, “Systems Biology: A Brief Overview,” Science, Vol. 295, No. 5560, 2002, pp. 1662-1664. doi:10.1126/science.1069492
S. Fukuyama and Y. Kawaoka, “The Pathogenesis of Influenza Virus Infections: The Contributions of Virus and Host Factors,” Current Opinion in Immunology, Vol. 23, No. 4, 2011, pp. 481-486. doi:10.1016/j.coi.2011.07.016
L. C. Lambert and A. S. Fauci, “Influenza Vaccines for the Future,” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 363, No. 21, 2010, pp. 2036-2044. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1002842
E. Shim, L. A. Meyers and A. P. Galvani, “Optimal H1N1 Vaccination Strategies Based on Self-Interest versus Group Interest,” BMC Public Health, Vol. 11, No. S1, 2011, p. S4. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-11-S1-S4
K. M. Harris, J. Maurer and A. L. Kellermann, “Influenza Vaccine—Safe, Effective and Mistrusted,” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 363, No. 23, 2010, pp. 2183-2185.
S. C. Jones and D. Iverson, “Pandemic Influenza: A Global Challenge for Social Marketing,” Health, Vol. 4, No. 10A, 2012, pp. 955-962. doi:10.4236/health.2012.430146
S. C. Jones, L. Waters, F. Byrne, D. Iverson, M. Sutherland, J. Gold and C. Puplick, “ ‘Body Bags Ready’: Print Media Coverage of Avian Influenza in Australia,” Health, Vol. 4, No. 10A, 2012, pp. 927-932. doi:10.4236/health.2012.430142
D. Ofri, “the Emotional Epidemiology of H1N1 Influenza Vaccination,” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 361, No. 27, 2009, pp. 2594-2595.
K. L. Nichol, R. Mac Donald and M. Hauge, “Factors Associated with Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination Behaviour among High-Risk Adults,” Journal of General Internal Medicine, Vol. 11, No. 11, 1996, pp. 637-677. doi:10.1007/BF02600158
A. G. Jansen, E. A. Sanders, K. L. Nichol, A. M. van Loon, A. W. Hoes and E. Hak, “Decline in Influenza-Associated Mortality among Dutch Elderly Following the Introduction of a Nationwide Vaccination Program,” Vaccine, Vol. 26, No. 44, 2008, pp. 5567-5574. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.08.003
F. Hofmann, C. Ferracin, G. Marsh and R. Dumas, “Influenza Vaccination of Healthcare Workers: A Literature Review of Attitudes and Beliefs,” Infection, Vol. 34, No. 3, 2006, pp. 142-147. doi:10.1007/s15010-006-5109-5
D. R. Johnson, K. L. Nichol and K. Lipczynski, “Barriers to Adult Immunization,” The American Journal of Medicine, Vol. 121, No. S7, 2008, pp. S28-S35.
J. P. Michel, P. O. Lang and J. P. Bayens, “Flu Vaccination Policy in Old Patients: Need for Harmonization and National Public Health Recommendations throughout Europe,” Vaccine, Vol. 27, No. 2, 2009, pp. 182-183. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.10.072
J. P. Bayens, “Ensuring the Willingness to Vaccinate and Be Vaccinated,” Expert Review of Vaccines, Vol. 9, No. S3, 2010, pp. 11-14. doi:10.1586/erv.10.28
K. L. Nichol and R. Zimmerman, “Generalist and Subspecialist Physicians’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices regarding Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccinations for Elderly and Other High-Risk Patients,” Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 161, No. 22, 2001, pp. 2702-2708. doi:10.1001/archinte.161.22.2702
L. Ward and J. Draper, “A Review of the Factors Involved in Older People’s Decision Making with Regard to Influenza Vaccination: A Literature Review,” Journal of Clinical Nursing, Vol. 17, No. 1, 2008, pp. 5-16.
T. Jefferson, D. Rivetti, M. Rudin, C. Di Pietrantonj and V. Demicheli, “Efficacy and Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccines in Elderly People: A Systematic Review,” Lancet, Vol. 366, No. 9492, 2005, pp. 1165-1174. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67339-4
M. T. Osterholm, N. S. Kelley, A. Sommer and E. A. Belongia, “Efficacy and Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Vol. 12, No. 1, 2012, pp. 36-44.
E. Hak, J. Nordin, F. Wei, J. Mullooly, S. Poblete, R. Strikas and K. L. Nichol, “Influence of High-Risk Medical Conditions on the Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccination among Elderly Members of 3 Large Managed-Care Organizations,” Clinical Infectious Diseases, Vol. 35, No. 4, 2002, pp. 370-377. doi:10.1086/341403
P. O. Lang, A. Mendes, J. Socquet, N. Assir, S. Govind and R. Aspinall, “Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccine in Aging and Older Adults: Comprehensive Analysis of the Evidence,” Clinical Interventions in Aging, Vol. 7, 2012, pp. 55-64.
F. C. Zhu, H. Wang, H. H. Fang, J. G. Yang, X. J. Lin and X. F. Liang, “A Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Vaccine in Various Age Groups,” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 361, No. 25, 2009, pp. 2414-2423. doi:10.1086/341403
A. Ernsting, S. Lippke, R. Schwarzer and M. Schneider, “Who Participates in Seasonal Influenza Vaccination? Past Behavior Moderates the Prediction of Adherence,” Advances in Preventive Medicine, Vol. 2011, 2011, Article ID: 148934. doi:10.4061/2011/148934
B. Bulat and L. Majnaric-Trtica, “Learning More about Older Patients Vaccinated against Influenza Can Direct Future Vaccination Strategy Planning,” The Book of Abstracts of the 17th WONCA Europe Conference, Warsaw, 8-11 September 2011, p. 205.
A. Palache, “Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Provision in 157 Countries (2004-2009) and the Potential Influence of National Public Health Policies,” Vaccine, Vol. 29, No. 51, 2011, pp. 9459-9466. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.10.030
J. D. Treanor, “Influenza—The Goal of Control,” The New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 357, No. 14, 2007, pp. 1439-1441. doi:10.1056/NEJMe078140
L. Kramar, P. Vojnovic, M. Marincic and L. T. Majnaric, “Knowledge and Attitudes of Family Physicians about Influenza Vaccination,” The Book of Abstracts of the 18th WONCA Europe Conference, Vienna, 4-7 July 2012, p. 269.