Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccine uptake in pregnant women entering the 2010 influenza season in Western Australia

[tetano]

eMJA The Medical Journal of Australia


Abstract
Objective: To audit the uptake of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccine in pregnant women entering the 2010 influenza season in Western Australia, and to identify why some women did not receive the vaccine.
Design, setting and participants:

Cross-sectional study of consecutive patients attending the Joondalup Health Campus public antenatal clinics in WA in January 2010.
Intervention:

Audit of uptake of the H1N1-specific vaccine.
Main outcome measures:

Rate of H1N1-specific vaccination, and reasons for not being the vaccinated.
Results:

479 of 541 women who attended the clinics (88.5%) were included in the audit. Three women had been infected with pandemic influenza in the preceding influenza season, leaving 476 women who were eligible for vaccination in pregnancy. Of these 476 women, only 33 (6.9%) had been vaccinated. Of the remaining 443 women who were eligible to receive the vaccine but had not been vaccinated, 63.9% had not been offered vaccination despite multiple visits to their general practitioners during pregnancy, 19.6% had been advised by their GPs against vaccination in pregnancy, and 61.6% stated that they would decline vaccination if offered because of safety concerns.
Conclusions:

Uptake of H1N1-specific influenza vaccine in pregnant women was poor. Reasons for this relate both to vaccination not being offered to or actively sought by the women, as well as concerns ? of both the women and their GPs ? about vaccine safety in pregnancy. Uptake in this setting may improve if vaccination is offered through public antenatal clinics with concurrent safety education for obstetricians and vaccination providers.

full article

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/193_07_041010/whi10200_fm.html

 

[tetano]

Re: Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccine uptake in pregnant women entering the 2010 influenza season in Western Australia

Western Australian GPs have largely ignored the recommendation from the Chief Medical Officer about the benefits of vaccinating pregnant women against influenza H1N1.

A new study published in the Medical Journal of Australia found almost one-in-five pregnant women who attended the Joondalup Health Campus said they had been discouraged from being vaccinated by their GP, while 63.9 per cent had said their doctor had not raised it as an issue.

Researchers revealed only 33 of 476 women included in the audit of the uptake of the swine flu vaccine had been vaccinated against the virus, despite the advice given by the Chief Medical Officer.

?This study showed poor uptake of the H1N1-specific vaccine ? and identified several GP-related and patient-related reasons the influenced the poor uptake.

?Our findings highlight a suboptimal response to the education campaign on pandemic influenza; 41.5 per cent of women had not thought about and sought vaccination, and 63.9 per cent of women reported that their GPs had not raised the issue despite several consultations.

?Of more concern is that even with specific communications form the Chief Medical Officer regarding the benefits and safety of vaccination in pregnancy, 19.6 per cent of women reported active discouragement of vaccination by their GPs,? the authors said.

More than 60 per cent of women involved in the study expressed concerns about the safety of the vaccine and stated they would not have accepted it, if their doctor had offered to vaccinate them.

However the researchers questioned whether those concerns would have remained if the GPs had received better information about the vaccine?s safety.

?We wonder whether some of those women who expressed concern over the safety may have been reassured by more effective education, including education of the GPs in the community who were advising against vaccination in pregnancy,? they said.

http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/article/swine-flu-jab-fears/522893.aspx