The socio-economic burden of influenza

Abstract

Influenza epidemics and pandemics have a huge impact on society and individuals. The weight and scope of the burden of influenza varies with the age and underlying health of the patient. The disease imposes a significant burden on all individuals, but hospitalization and treatment occur more frequently in high-risk patients (the elderly and those with certain underlying medical conditions); patient populations that are increasing in size. Escalating medical costs have increased the need to quantify the burden of influenza. The first step in any such analysis is to determine the incidence of the disease; with influenza, this is often under-reported, since the illness may be confused with other viral illnesses. In addition to the direct costs of medical care, the indirect costs of influenza are substantial and stem largely from absenteeism and loss of work productivity. Estimates of the cost of influenza in the USA, France and Germany have shown that indirect costs can be five– to 10–fold higher than direct costs. Other intangible costs associated with influenza include impaired performance, which can reduce reaction times, and adverse effects on the quality of life of patients and their families. The costs of interventions should, therefore, be considered in this context. The main approach to the control of influenza and its associated costs is the administration of vaccines. Although vaccines are widely effective, the greatest potential benefits are observed within high-risk groups; vaccination is therefore recommended in many countries for high-risk patients, their carers and healthcare workers. However, the shortcomings of present vaccines, which include manufacturing limitations that prevent guaranteed adequate supply of vaccine, the difficulty in matching vaccines to circulating strains and the need for administration by injection, highlight the need for complementary treatment.

A Novel Staff Vaccination Strategy

“…Other studies have found that vaccination the previous year and the belief that vaccination is effective have enhanced the uptake of influenza vaccination by healthcare workers. 4 ' 5 This is consistent with our experience of 71.8% of vaccinated staff indicating that they had been vaccinated the previous year. Favorable outcomes from the previous vaccination such as minimal discomfort at the time of injection, absence of influenza, reduced sick leave required to be taken, and confidence in the vaccinating staff contributed to the vaccination uptake.…”

“…When only high-risk staff are vaccinated, others can erroneously believe that they are not in a high-risk category and so do not participate in the vaccination program. 4 Offering vaccination to all staff can reduce the risk of staff who do not have contact with patients transmitting the influenza virus to staff who do have contact with patients while at work, in both clinical settings and dining room facilities. 4 Previously, the program was implemented primarily by the clinical nurse consultant for infection control, with assistance from the night duty coordinators and staff clinic.…”

“…4 Offering vaccination to all staff can reduce the risk of staff who do not have contact with patients transmitting the influenza virus to staff who do have contact with patients while at work, in both clinical settings and dining room facilities. 4 Previously, the program was implemented primarily by the clinical nurse consultant for infection control, with assistance from the night duty coordinators and staff clinic. Due to increased funding from the DHS, increased numbers of staff provided influenza vaccination.…”

Immunogenicity, large scale safety and lot consistency of an intradermal influenza vaccine in adults aged 18–60 years: Randomized, controlled, Phase III trial

“…[9][10][11][12] In healthy adult populations, the main impact of influenza, which typically leads to 3 to 4 days of bed rest and restricted activity for several more days, is work absenteeism and productivity losses, which account for 80-90% of the total cost of the disease. 4,[12][13][14][15][16] Vaccination is the most effective way of reducing the large economic burden of influenza.…”

Efficacy of Influenza Vaccine among Elderly Patients by Physical Activity Status

“…However, the results of the logistic regression analysis do not appear to support this possibility, although the findings are not conclusive (Table 2). Secondly, according to previous studies, it is widely recognized that, once infection with influenza has been established, serious complications are often observed among high-risk patients, such as those with chronic diseases, elderly patients, and children (3,4,14,16,26). In line with these findings, we found significant differences in the frequencies of medical testing and treatment between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups only among bed-bound in-patients, and demonstrated that bed-bound patients were at the highest risk for co-morbidity.…”