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

Amlôt, Richard; Sim, Julius; Smith, LE; Dasch, Hannah; Rubin, GJ; Sevdalis, Nick; Cutts, Megan; 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.

Citation

Amlôt, R., M Sherman, S., Sim, J., Smith, L., Dasch, H., Rubin, G., …E Smith, L. (2021). Intention to have the seasonal influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic among eligible adults in the UK: a cross-sectional survey. BMJ Open, 11(7), Article e049369. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049369

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 7, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jul 13, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Publicly Available Date: May 30, 2023
• Journal: BMJ Open
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 7
• Article Number: 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