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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

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


Authors

Richard Amlôt

LE Smith

Hannah Dasch

GJ Rubin

Nick Sevdalis

Megan Cutts



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.

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 7, 2021
Online Publication Date Jul 13, 2021
Publication Date 2021-07
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
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

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