Open AccessBarriers and facilitators to influenza vaccination among high‐risk groups aged less than 65 years – views from general practitioners and practice nurses
Author(s) -
Zwar Nicholas,
Hasan Iqbal,
Harris Mark,
Traynor Vanessa
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2007.00143.x
Subject(s) - vaccination , workload , medicine , incentive , family medicine , recall , general practice , public health , nursing , focus group , psychology , immunology , business , marketing , computer science , economics , cognitive psychology , microeconomics , operating system
Objectives:To explore the views of general practitioners and practice nurses about barriers to influenza vaccination among under 65 high‐risk patients and strategies to overcome those barriers.Methods:Focus group discussions with general practitioners and practice nurses.Results:Barriers identified included: lack of awareness among patients about influenza vaccination; GP workload; poor GP motivation; lack of practice nurses; lack of patient recall systems; cost of vaccine; and lack of media campaign.Strategies proposed included:public education campaigns; free supply of vaccine; dissemination of evidence to motivate GPs; incentives to establish recall systems; and greater involvement of practice nurses in the process.Conclusion:Influenza vaccination has not been well accepted by people aged less than 65 years. Implementation of proposed strategies has the potential to improve the vaccination coverage.Implications:An improvement in influenza vaccination coverage among people less than 65 years who are in high‐risk groups has the potential to reduce hospitalisation and health care costs.