Assessment of vaccination rates and attitudes toward pneumococcal, influenza, and COVID-19 vaccines among asthmatic patients and adults aged 65 years and older without asthma

Abstract

Aims: Pneumococcal, influenza, and COVID-19 infections are significant causes of mortality and morbidity in asthmatic patients and individuals aged 65 years and older who are at risk. The aim of this study is to evaluate the vaccination rates and attitudes toward pneumococcal, influenza, and COVID-19 vaccines in asthmatic patients and individuals aged 65 years and older without asthma. Methods: The study was planned as a prospective observational study between September 15, 2023, and November 15, 2023. The study included a total of 220 outpatient patients, comprising asthma-diagnosed patients who visited the Pulmonology and Family Medicine outpatient clinics at Ankara Traning and Research Hospital, Health Sciences University, and 65-year-old adults without asthma. An informed consent form was completed by asthma patients and individuals aged 65 years and older without asthma who agreed to participate in the study. A questionnaire consisting of 15 questions was administered to these participants. The results were statistically evaluated. Statistical analysis included the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and the Mann-Whitney U test. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the asthma patients who participated in the study, 75 (59.1%) were female and 35 (37.6%) were male. The mean age of the asthma patients was 48.93 ± 11.03. Of the outpatient patients aged 65 years and older without asthma who participated in the study, 52 (40.9%) were female and 58 (62.4%) were male. The mean age was 72.08 ± 4.97. The average age of the 65-year-old and older outpatient patients without asthma who participated in the survey was statistically significantly higher than that of the asthma patient group (p: <0.001). The influenza vaccination rate among asthma patients who participated in the survey was 30.3% (n = 23), the pneumococcal vaccination rate was 27.4% (n = 17), and the rate of COVID-19 vaccination was 83.6% (n = 92). Among the 65-year-old and older outpatient patients without asthma who participated in the survey, the influenza vaccination rate was 69.7% (n=53), the pneumococcal vaccination rate was 72.6% (n=45), and the COVID-19 vaccination rate was 99% (n=98). There was a statistically significant difference between asthmatic patients and outpatient patients aged 65 years and older in terms of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates (p<0.001). Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates were found to be higher in outpatient patients aged 65 years and older without asthma than in asthmatic patients. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of COVID-19 vaccination (p: 0.089). The most common reasons for not getting the influenza vaccine among patients with asthma were, in order of frequency, considering the vaccine ineffective (n = 36) and fear of side effects (n = 30). The most common reasons for not getting the influenza vaccine among individuals aged 65 and older without asthma were, in order of frequency, believing the vaccine to be ineffective (n = 30) and fear of side effects (n = 17). The reasons for not getting the pneumococcal vaccine among asthmatic patients were, in order of frequency, believing the vaccine is ineffective (n = 36) and fear of side effects (n = 32). The reasons for not getting the pneumococcal vaccine among individuals aged 65 and older without asthma were, in order of frequency, believing the vaccine to be ineffective (n = 30) and fear of side effects (n = 20). The majority of asthmatic patients and non-asthmatic outpatients aged 65 and older did not respond to the question about the reasons for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The most common responses to the question of who recommended the influenza, pneumococcal, and COVID-19 vaccines among asthmatic patients and non-asthmatic outpatients aged 65 and older were the media and other healthcare professionals, respectively. Conclusion: Vaccination rates for influenza and pneumococcal vaccines were found to be very low among asthmatic patients and outpatients over the age of 65 without asthma, while COVID-19 vaccination rates were found to be high in both groups. We believe that providing adequate information to family physicians and other healthcare providers who examine asthma patients and individuals aged 65 and older about the benefits and potential side effects of influenza vaccines, as well as publishing news articles in the media highlighting the importance of vaccination for high-risk individuals, could help increase vaccination rates.

Keywords

• Asthma
• pneumococcal vaccine
• influenza vaccine
• COVID vaccine
• attitude toward vaccines

Assessment of vaccination rates and attitudes toward pneumococcal, influenza, and COVID-19 vaccines among asthmatic patients and adults aged 65 years and older without asthma

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study is to evaluate the vaccination rates and attitudes toward pneumococcal, influenza, and COVID-19 vaccines in asthmatic patients and individuals aged 65 years and older without asthma. Methods: The study was planned as a prospective observational study between September 15, 2023, and November 15, 2023. The study included a total of 220 outpatient patients, comprising asthma-diagnosed patients who visited the Pulmonology and Family Medicine outpatient clinics at Ankara Traning and Research Hospital, Health Sciences University, and 65-year-old adults without asthma. An informed consent form was completed by asthma patients and individuals aged 65 years and older without asthma who agreed to participate in the study. A questionnaire consisting of 15 questions was administered to these participants. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the asthma patients who participated in the study, 75 (59.1%) were female and 35 (37.6%) were male. The mean age of the asthma patients was 48.93±11.03. Of the outpatient patients aged 65 years and older without asthma who participated in the study, 52 (40.9%) were female and 58 (62.4%) were male. The mean age was 72.08±4.97. Patients aged 65 years and older with asthma were excluded from the study. The average age of the 65-year-old and older outpatient patients without asthma who participated in the survey was statistically significantly higher than that of the asthma patient group. The influenza vaccination rate among asthma patients who participated in the survey was 30.3%, the pneumococcal vaccination rate was 27.4%, and the rate of COVID-19 vaccination was 83.6%. Among the 65-year-old and older outpatient patients without asthma who participated in the survey, the influenza vaccination rate was 69.7%, the pneumococcal vaccination rate was 72.6%, and the COVID-19 vaccination rate was 99%. There was a statistically significant difference between asthmatic patients and outpatient patients aged 65 years and older in terms of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates. Conclusion: Vaccination rates for influenza and pneumococcal vaccines were found to be very low among asthmatic patients and outpatients over the age of 65 without asthma, while COVID-19 vaccination rates were found to be high in both groups. We believe that providing adequate information to family physicians and other healthcare providers who examine asthma patients and individuals aged 65 and older about the benefits and potential side effects of influenza vaccines, as well as publishing news articles in the media highlighting the importance of vaccination for high-risk individuals, could help increase vaccination rates.

Keywords

• Asthma
• pneumococcal vaccine
• influenza vaccine
• COVID vaccine
• attitude toward vaccines

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