Intention to have the seasonal influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic among eligible adults in the UK: a cross-sectional survey

Amlôt, R; Sim, J; Smith, LE; Dasch, H; Rubin, GJ; Sevdalis, N; Cutts, M; Sherman, S

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the likelihood of having the seasonal influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic in individuals who were eligible to receive it. DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in July 2020. We included predictors informed by previous research, in the following categories: sociodemographic variables; uptake of influenza vaccine last winter and beliefs about vaccination. PARTICIPANTS: 570 participants (mean age: 53.07; 56.3% female, 87.0% white) who were eligible for the free seasonal influenza vaccination in the UK. RESULTS: 59.7% of our sample indicated they were likely to have the seasonal influenza vaccination, 22.1% reported being unlikely to have the vaccination and 18.2% were unsure. We used logistic regression to investigate variables associated with intention to receive a seasonal influenza vaccine in the 2020-2021 season. A positive attitude to vaccination in general predicted intention to have the influenza vaccine in 2020-2021 (OR 1.45, 95%?CI 1.19 to 1.77, p<0.001) but the strongest predictor of intention was previous influenza vaccination behaviour (OR 278.58, 95%?CI 78.04 to 994.46, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Previous research suggests that increasing uptake of the influenza vaccination may help contain a COVID-19 outbreak, so steps need to be taken to convert intention into behaviour and to reach those individuals who reported being unlikely or unsure about having the vaccine.

• Acceptance Date: May 7, 2021
• Publication Date: Jul 13, 2021
• Journal: BMJ Open
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Pages: e049369 - ?
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049369
• Keywords: COVID-19, preventive medicine, public health, Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, ; Influenza Vaccines, Influenza, Human, Intention, Male, Middle Aged, Pandemics, SARS-CoV-2, Seasons, ; Surveys and Questionnaires, United Kingdom, Vaccination
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049369