Patient’s behaviors and missed opportunities for vaccination against seasonal epidemic influenza and evaluation of their impact on patient’s influenza vaccine uptake

OBJECTIVES: Influenza vaccination (IV) coverage remains low in France. Objectives were to assess patient knowledge and behaviors and missed opportunities for vaccination (MO) and their impact on vaccine uptake. METHODS: This is a prospective-observational study, including emergency department patients at risk for severe influenza. Patients were interviewed about their knowledge and behaviors. We evaluated the health-care voucher scheme (HCVS) and MO. RESULTS: 868 patients were included. Vaccine uptake was 33.2%, 42% of patients knew about the possible severity of influenza, 23% thought that they were not at risk for severe influenza, 39% knew that they have an indication for the vaccine, and 4.3% to 11.5% expressed reservations concerning IV side effects and effectiveness. HCVS was used by 44.3% of patients, but only 14.8% had been vaccinated. MO were reported by 484 patients (69.4%) declaring 1104 consultations and 148 IV propositions (86.6%). Predictors of vaccine uptake (p<0.0001) were: knowledge of serious and fatal influenza forms [OR 0.36 (CI95% 0.25–0.5)]; confidence in influenza vaccine effectiveness [0.38 (0.2–0.7)]; opposition to vaccines [0.22 (0.1–0.48)]; visit to general practitioner [4.53 (2.9–7.1)]; general practitioner proposed IV [2.1 (1.2–3.4)]. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that high rate of missed opportunities, some patient behaviors and general practitioner visits may explain low influenza vaccine uptake, and that HCVS use is a complex process. Of interest, we found that the patient’s knowledge of the potential severity of influenza is not sufficient to promote vaccine, suggesting that the information strategy must be adapted to each patient behavior.