What factors affect influenza vaccine uptake among community-dwelling older Chinese people in Hong Kong general outpatient clinics?

Aim: This study aimed to identify the influenza vaccination rate among community-dwelling older Chinese people in Hong Kong general outpatient clinics and to identify the factors affecting their vaccine uptake.

Background: Community-dwelling older Chinese people in Hong Kong underuse influenza vaccination. The first step to increase their vaccination rates is to understand the factors affecting their influenza vaccine uptake.

Design: This was a retrospective and descriptive study.

Methods: The sample comprised 197 subjects from five general outpatient clinics in the Kowloon East cluster of Hong Kong. A self-report questionnaire was used for data collection via individual face-to-face interviews.

Results: Out of 197 subjects, 64.47% reported having received the vaccine within the previous 12 months. The regression model revealed that perceived benefits including 'vaccination prevents me from catching influenza (OR = 12.18, CI = 3.61-41.07, p < 0.001)', 'If I get vaccinated, I will decrease the frequency of medical consultation (OR = 8.12, CI = 2.70-24.38, p = 0.001)' and 'If I am vaccinated and still get flu, I will not be as sick with it (OR = 0.43, CI = 0.24-0.76, p = 0.004)', perceived barriers, which are 'the side-effects of influenza vaccination interfere with my usual activities (OR = 0.04, CI = 0.01-0.13, p < 0.001)', 'influenza vaccination is painful (OR = 2.73, CI = 1.55-4.81, p = 0.001)' and 'I am scared of needles (OR = 0.43, CI = 0.23-0.79, p = 0.007)' and recommendations from doctors (OR = 14.18, CR = 4.09-49.16, p < 0.001) and families (OR = 3.67, CR = 1.24-10.83, p = 0.019) interactively influenced the subjects' vaccine uptake.

Conclusion: Specific benefits and barriers affecting the influenza uptake of community-dwelling older Chinese people in general outpatient clinics have been identified. Specifically, recommendation from families plays a significant role in motivating the uptake of this Chinese ageing group.

Relevance To Clinical Practice: We adopt strategies including personal invitation and reminders of influenza vaccination by doctors and educating doctors, older people and their families on influenza vaccination to increase the uptake of community-dwelling Chinese older people in general outpatient clinics.