TY - JOUR
T1 - Focus group study on perceptions and information needs regarding vaccines targeting the older population
T2 - a cross-country comparison in four European countries
AU - VITAL consortium
AU - Wennekes, Manuela Dominique
AU - Eilers, Renske
AU - Caputo, Antonella
AU - Gagneux-Brunon, Amandine
AU - Gavioli, Riccardo
AU - Nicoli, Francesco
AU - Vokó, Zoltán
AU - Timen, Aura
N1 - © 2022. The Author(s).
PY - 2022/11/21
Y1 - 2022/11/21
N2 - The increasing life expectancy leads to more older adults suffering from infectious diseases. Vaccines are available against diverse infections such as influenza, pneumococcal disease, herpes zoster and tetanus. However, vaccine acceptance is crucial for optimal preventive effect. The objective of the study is to perform a cross-country analysis of the perceptions and decision-making behaviour of older adults regarding vaccinations and their information needs. Focus groups with older adults were conducted in four countries: France, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Demographic characteristics of participants were gathered with a questionnaire. Influenza and tetanus vaccines were commonly known, as was the disease influenza. On the contrary, the awareness of the vaccines against pneumococcal disease and herpes zoster were low. Participants also expressed a need for more information on vaccines, such as possible side effects, contra-indications and duration of protection, emphasizing that information is a condition for decision-making on vaccination. General practitioners were found to be the most important in information provision on vaccines. Perceptions on vaccines, such as effectiveness, side effects and safety, as well as perceptions on infectious diseases, such as severity, susceptibility and experiencing an infectious disease, played a role in the decision-making of older adults on vaccines. More awareness of the information needs among older adults with regard to vaccines should be raised among general practitioners and other healthcare providers. This requires appropriate knowledge about the vaccines among healthcare providers as well as communication skills to meet the information needs of older adults.
AB - The increasing life expectancy leads to more older adults suffering from infectious diseases. Vaccines are available against diverse infections such as influenza, pneumococcal disease, herpes zoster and tetanus. However, vaccine acceptance is crucial for optimal preventive effect. The objective of the study is to perform a cross-country analysis of the perceptions and decision-making behaviour of older adults regarding vaccinations and their information needs. Focus groups with older adults were conducted in four countries: France, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Demographic characteristics of participants were gathered with a questionnaire. Influenza and tetanus vaccines were commonly known, as was the disease influenza. On the contrary, the awareness of the vaccines against pneumococcal disease and herpes zoster were low. Participants also expressed a need for more information on vaccines, such as possible side effects, contra-indications and duration of protection, emphasizing that information is a condition for decision-making on vaccination. General practitioners were found to be the most important in information provision on vaccines. Perceptions on vaccines, such as effectiveness, side effects and safety, as well as perceptions on infectious diseases, such as severity, susceptibility and experiencing an infectious disease, played a role in the decision-making of older adults on vaccines. More awareness of the information needs among older adults with regard to vaccines should be raised among general practitioners and other healthcare providers. This requires appropriate knowledge about the vaccines among healthcare providers as well as communication skills to meet the information needs of older adults.
KW - aged
KW - communicable diseases
KW - focus groups
KW - herpes zoster
KW - humans
KW - influenza, human/prevention & control
KW - pneumococcal infections/prevention & control
KW - tetanus
KW - vaccines
KW - focusgroepen
KW - gordelroos
KW - griep, mensen/preventie & controle
KW - mensen
KW - ouder
KW - overdraagbare ziekten
KW - pneumokokkeninfecties/preventie & bestrijding
KW - tetanus
KW - vaccins
U2 - 10.1007/s11357-022-00682-5
DO - 10.1007/s11357-022-00682-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 36413259
SN - 2509-2715
VL - 45
SP - 871
EP - 887
JO - GeroScience
JF - GeroScience
IS - 2
ER -