Underutilization of Influenza Vaccine

Yearly influenza vaccination continues to be underutilized by thosewho would most benefit from it. The Health Belief Model was used to explain differencesin beliefs about influenza vaccination among at-risk individuals resistant to influenzavaccination. Survey data were collected from 74 members of at-risk groups who were notvaccinated for influenza during the previous flu season. Accepting individuals were morelikely to perceive flu as a threat to health and perceive access barriers, and cues toaction were the most important influence on whether they plan to get vaccinated. Incomparison, resistant individuals did not feel threatened by the flu, access barrierswere not a problem, and they did not respond favorably to cues to action. Perceivedthreat, perceived access barriers, and cues to action were significantly associated withplans to be vaccinated for influenza in the next flu season. Participants who sawinfluenza as a threat to their health had 5.4 times the odds of planning to bevaccinated than those who did not. Participants reporting barriers to accessinginfluenza vaccination had 7.5 times the odds of reporting plans to be vaccinated. Thoseresponding positively to cues to action had 12.2 times the odds of planning to bevaccinated in the next flu season than those who did not. Accepting and resistantindividuals have significant differences in their beliefs, which require differentintervention strategies to increase vaccination rates. These findings provide importantinformation to researchers and practitioners working to increase influenza vaccinationrates