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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Improving influenza vaccine coverage in at-risk groups
— good intentions are not enough | | Author(s) | John C B Litt, Peter B Lake |
| Journal title | Medical Journal of Australia, vol 159, 18 October 1993 |
| Pages | pp 542-547 |
| Keywords | Influenza ; Immunisation ; At risk ; Research Reviews. |
| Annotation | Current levels of vaccination for influenza are low among the over-65s. Extensive searches were carried out using MEDLINE and manual techniques to review studies and methods on raising awareness of influenza vaccination. Primary source articles were included if they evaluated the efficacy of vaccination and the various strategies used to improve coverage. More attention was paid to randomised controlled trials, although other study designs were considered. A formal algorithm for estimating the effect of organisational strategies was not used; rather, appropriate studies highlighting advantages and disadvantages were selected. Negative patient attitudes and lack of an organised and systematic approach are the major barriers to improving vaccination rates. Vaccination coverage can be improved by 10%-30% by use of at-risk registers and reminder systems. Further research is required to determine the impact of both patient attitudes and reminder systems on influenza vaccination rates; consequently, a randomised controlled trial is under way to look at both these issues. Provider and patient reminder systems should be incorporated into general practice to improve the influenza vaccination rate. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-980108227 A |
| Classmark | CJM: LLF: CA3: 3A:6KC * |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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