Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions
Influenza Vaccine After Acute Respiratory Infection
Health Promot Pract; ePub 2018 Jul 13; Nowalk, et al
More than one-third of patients recovering from a medically attended acute respiratory infection intended to be vaccinated with the influenza vaccine the next season, a recent study found. Adults aged ≥18 years with an acute respiratory infection in the 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017 influenza seasons were tested for influenza and completed surveys. Across seasons, unvaccinated participants were grouped into those who intended to receive the influenza vaccine in the following season (vaccine intention) and those who did not (no vaccine intention). In 2016-2016, participants were asked the reasons for their vaccination behavior. Among the findings:
- Among 837 unvaccinated participants, 308 (37%) intended to be vaccinated the next season.
- The groups did not differ in demographic or overall health factors.
- Non-whites, those reporting wheezing or nasal congestion, and those receiving and antiviral prescription were more likely to be in the vaccine intention group.
- Those in the no vaccine intention group were significantly more likely to report knowledge/attitudinal reasons (side effects) for not being vaccinated.
Nowalk MP, Balasubramani GK, Zimmerman RK, et al. Influenza vaccine intention after a medically attended acute respiratory infection. [Published online ahead of print July 13, 2018]. Health Promot Pract. doi:10.1177/1524839918782137.
This Week's Must Reads
Must Reads in Vaccines
Vaccination for Prevention of Herpes Zoster, Ann Intern Med; ePub 2019 Feb 19; Prosser, et al
ACIP Updates Adult Immunization Schedule, Ann Intern Med; 2019 Feb 5; Kim, Hunter, et al
Influenza Vaccination Safety During Hospitalization, Mayo Clin Proc; ePub 2019 Jan 8; Tartof, et al
Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Is Safe & Effective, JAMA Pediatr; 2018 Nov; Wood, Nolan, et al
Influenza and Pertussis Vaccination in Pregnancy, Vaccine; ePub 2018 Nov 3; Wilcox, Bottrell, et al
There is a famous quote that speaks of “change not happening from seeing the light but instead from feeling the heat.” This study speaks to that issue. As clinicians we can identify patients with acute illnesses that would benefit from immunizations and parlay that into having them receive the influenza vaccine in the future. Even with this, only about a third of the patients studied described wanting to be vaccinated the next season and these patients tended to be sicker with their current illness. — John Russell, MD