Influenza vaccination coverage rates in the UK: A comparison of two monitoring methods during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons

Daniela Müller; Jonathan Nguyen-van-Tam; Thomas D. Szucs

doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2006.05.026

Influenza vaccination coverage rates in the UK: A comparison of two monitoring methods during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons

Daniela Müller, Jonathan Nguyen-van-Tam^*, Thomas D. Szucs

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of measuring influenza vaccination coverage during 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons using a telephone survey; to compare these findings with routine vaccine uptake monitoring based on data provided by general practitioners. Study design: Telephone-based survey. Methods: We interviewed a random sample of non-institutionalized individuals representative of the population aged 16 years and over. Four target groups were determined for analysis: (1) people aged 65 years and over; (2) healthcare workers; (3) people under 65 years with chronic illnesses, which placed them at risk for influenza; and (4) a group composed of all three previous groups combined. Results: The overall sample consisted of 4054 people (about 2000 per season). Population influenza vaccine coverage in the UK increased from 22.3% in 2002-2003 to 24.2% in 2003-2004. Vaccine uptake was strongly age dependent, even in people aged 65 years and over (the ages at which all people are routinely targeted). In both seasons, the estimates of vaccine uptake in people aged 65 years and over were remarkably consistent with those obtained through routine monitoring. Vaccine uptake in healthcare workers was markedly suboptimal. Conclusions: In the UK, a telephone-based system of monitoring influenza vaccine uptake seems robust enough to generate data that are comparable with routine vaccine monitoring undertaken using data provided by general practitioners. Although such a system cannot easily contribute towards monitoring of vaccination at local and regional levels, it offers a validated method of estimating vaccine uptake that is independent of healthcare workers' time. This may be especially important for a pandemic vaccination programme, especially in countries in which healthcare resources are scarce, or where the configuration of healthcare services is less conducive to internal monitoring than is the case in the UK.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1074-1080
Number of pages	7
Journal	Public Health
Volume	120
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2006.05.026
Publication status	Published - Nov 2006

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was made possible by an unrestricted research grant from Aventis-Pasteur MSD (now Sanofi Pasteur MSD), Lyon, France. Dr Van-Tam first became involved with this work when he was employed by Aventis Pasteur MSD in the UK. He has subsequently moved to the Health Protection Agency, from where he has helped to complete the work.

Keywords

Coverage
Elderly
Influenza
Monitoring
United Kingdom
Vaccination

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.puhe.2006.05.026

Cite this

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title = "Influenza vaccination coverage rates in the UK: A comparison of two monitoring methods during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons",

abstract = "Objectives: To assess the feasibility of measuring influenza vaccination coverage during 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons using a telephone survey; to compare these findings with routine vaccine uptake monitoring based on data provided by general practitioners. Study design: Telephone-based survey. Methods: We interviewed a random sample of non-institutionalized individuals representative of the population aged 16 years and over. Four target groups were determined for analysis: (1) people aged 65 years and over; (2) healthcare workers; (3) people under 65 years with chronic illnesses, which placed them at risk for influenza; and (4) a group composed of all three previous groups combined. Results: The overall sample consisted of 4054 people (about 2000 per season). Population influenza vaccine coverage in the UK increased from 22.3% in 2002-2003 to 24.2% in 2003-2004. Vaccine uptake was strongly age dependent, even in people aged 65 years and over (the ages at which all people are routinely targeted). In both seasons, the estimates of vaccine uptake in people aged 65 years and over were remarkably consistent with those obtained through routine monitoring. Vaccine uptake in healthcare workers was markedly suboptimal. Conclusions: In the UK, a telephone-based system of monitoring influenza vaccine uptake seems robust enough to generate data that are comparable with routine vaccine monitoring undertaken using data provided by general practitioners. Although such a system cannot easily contribute towards monitoring of vaccination at local and regional levels, it offers a validated method of estimating vaccine uptake that is independent of healthcare workers' time. This may be especially important for a pandemic vaccination programme, especially in countries in which healthcare resources are scarce, or where the configuration of healthcare services is less conducive to internal monitoring than is the case in the UK.",

keywords = "Coverage, Elderly, Influenza, Monitoring, United Kingdom, Vaccination",

author = "Daniela M{\"u}ller and Jonathan Nguyen-van-Tam and Szucs, {Thomas D.}",

note = "Funding Information: This study was made possible by an unrestricted research grant from Aventis-Pasteur MSD (now Sanofi Pasteur MSD), Lyon, France. Dr Van-Tam first became involved with this work when he was employed by Aventis Pasteur MSD in the UK. He has subsequently moved to the Health Protection Agency, from where he has helped to complete the work.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.puhe.2006.05.026",

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volume = "120",

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T1 - Influenza vaccination coverage rates in the UK

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AU - Nguyen-van-Tam, Jonathan

AU - Szucs, Thomas D.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was made possible by an unrestricted research grant from Aventis-Pasteur MSD (now Sanofi Pasteur MSD), Lyon, France. Dr Van-Tam first became involved with this work when he was employed by Aventis Pasteur MSD in the UK. He has subsequently moved to the Health Protection Agency, from where he has helped to complete the work.

PY - 2006/11

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N2 - Objectives: To assess the feasibility of measuring influenza vaccination coverage during 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons using a telephone survey; to compare these findings with routine vaccine uptake monitoring based on data provided by general practitioners. Study design: Telephone-based survey. Methods: We interviewed a random sample of non-institutionalized individuals representative of the population aged 16 years and over. Four target groups were determined for analysis: (1) people aged 65 years and over; (2) healthcare workers; (3) people under 65 years with chronic illnesses, which placed them at risk for influenza; and (4) a group composed of all three previous groups combined. Results: The overall sample consisted of 4054 people (about 2000 per season). Population influenza vaccine coverage in the UK increased from 22.3% in 2002-2003 to 24.2% in 2003-2004. Vaccine uptake was strongly age dependent, even in people aged 65 years and over (the ages at which all people are routinely targeted). In both seasons, the estimates of vaccine uptake in people aged 65 years and over were remarkably consistent with those obtained through routine monitoring. Vaccine uptake in healthcare workers was markedly suboptimal. Conclusions: In the UK, a telephone-based system of monitoring influenza vaccine uptake seems robust enough to generate data that are comparable with routine vaccine monitoring undertaken using data provided by general practitioners. Although such a system cannot easily contribute towards monitoring of vaccination at local and regional levels, it offers a validated method of estimating vaccine uptake that is independent of healthcare workers' time. This may be especially important for a pandemic vaccination programme, especially in countries in which healthcare resources are scarce, or where the configuration of healthcare services is less conducive to internal monitoring than is the case in the UK.

AB - Objectives: To assess the feasibility of measuring influenza vaccination coverage during 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons using a telephone survey; to compare these findings with routine vaccine uptake monitoring based on data provided by general practitioners. Study design: Telephone-based survey. Methods: We interviewed a random sample of non-institutionalized individuals representative of the population aged 16 years and over. Four target groups were determined for analysis: (1) people aged 65 years and over; (2) healthcare workers; (3) people under 65 years with chronic illnesses, which placed them at risk for influenza; and (4) a group composed of all three previous groups combined. Results: The overall sample consisted of 4054 people (about 2000 per season). Population influenza vaccine coverage in the UK increased from 22.3% in 2002-2003 to 24.2% in 2003-2004. Vaccine uptake was strongly age dependent, even in people aged 65 years and over (the ages at which all people are routinely targeted). In both seasons, the estimates of vaccine uptake in people aged 65 years and over were remarkably consistent with those obtained through routine monitoring. Vaccine uptake in healthcare workers was markedly suboptimal. Conclusions: In the UK, a telephone-based system of monitoring influenza vaccine uptake seems robust enough to generate data that are comparable with routine vaccine monitoring undertaken using data provided by general practitioners. Although such a system cannot easily contribute towards monitoring of vaccination at local and regional levels, it offers a validated method of estimating vaccine uptake that is independent of healthcare workers' time. This may be especially important for a pandemic vaccination programme, especially in countries in which healthcare resources are scarce, or where the configuration of healthcare services is less conducive to internal monitoring than is the case in the UK.

KW - Coverage

KW - Elderly

KW - Influenza

KW - Monitoring

KW - United Kingdom

KW - Vaccination

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AN - SCOPUS:33750008185

SN - 0033-3506

VL - 120

SP - 1074

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JO - Public Health

JF - Public Health

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ER -

Influenza vaccination coverage rates in the UK: A comparison of two monitoring methods during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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