Factors affecting seniors' attitudes to vaccination against influenza

Abstract

Influenza is one of the seasonal acute infectious diseases. Vaccination of the elderly and the sick appears to be a key measure in prevention of the infection or significantly reduces the clinical picture of the disease. Design: The work is a cross-sectional quantitative study carried out based on a questionnaire investigation. Objective: The objective of the quantitative research was to determine the attitude of seniors to influenza vaccination and the impact of selected factors on the decision of seniors to get vaccinated. Methods: The total sample consisted of 623 respondents (aged 60-89 years) who were enrolled in the survey sample based on a deliberate choice. The research was conducted through a questionnaire of our own design. Descriptive statistics and a chi-square test for pivot tables were used for processing the data obtained. Results: The majority of seniors (81%) had not been vaccinated against the flu, and the remaining (19%) had been vaccinated. The most common reason reported by the respondents was that the vaccination was recommended by doctors and nurses (65%). Based on statistical tests, we found that there is a relationship between age and the presence of senior chronic disease and the decision to get vaccinated. Conclusion: Education of seniors in the area of influenza prevention through vaccination is needed and can contribute greatly to experiencing a more active and longer life. S Ú h R N Úvod: Chrípka patrí medzi sezónne akútne infekčné ochorenia. V prevencii sa ako kľúčové opatrenie javí očkovanie, ktoré u starších a chorých zabráni infekcii alebo výrazne zmierni klinický obraz ochorenia. Dizajn: Práca má dizajn prierezovej kvantitatívnej štúdie vykonanej na základe dotazníkového šetrenia. Cieľ: Cieľom kvantitatívneho výskumu bolo zistiť postoj seniorov k očkovaniu proti chrípke a zistiť vplyv vybraných faktorov na rozhodnutie seniorov dať sa zaočkovať.

Factors affecting influenza vaccination decisions in patients with cardiovascular diseases – selected aspects of research

“…They involved mostly recommendations of doctors and nurses (65%), healthcare (12%), earlier positive experiences (10%), and the influence of advertisements in the media (3%). However, a high acceptance of vaccinations was significantly correlated to chronic diseases, such as lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, as well as to the advanced age of the respondents [9].…”

“…This is then especially worth noting since the average age was about 63 years, which increases the possibility of a respondent being chronically ill, and thus in a group at risk from influenza. Retirement age also assumes the greatest participation of patients in vaccinations against influenza [9]. This can be explained by the fact that for some respondents declaring lower material status, the price of a vaccine is a significant factor, especially in a situation when they have to take into account the medicament expenses caused by the plurality of other illnesses from which they suffer.…”

“…Secondly, the development of patients' health awareness should be aimed at acquiring knowledge about the impact of influenza on the formation and/or severity of cardiovascular diseases in the form of, for example, myocarditis, and heart failure, among others [6,9,10]. Research confirming the effectiveness of vaccination in reducing ischemic heart disease has been widely described for years in international and Polish literature [6].…”