Cent Eur J Public Health 2019, 27(2):127-130 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a5010

Influenza vaccination in Austria: Persistent resistance and ignorance to influenza prevention and control

Ursula Kunze1, Gabriela Böhm1, Bernhard Prager2, Ernest Groman1
1 Centre for Public Health, Institute of Social Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
2 Austrian Association of Vaccine Manufacturers, Vienna, Austria

Objective: In the Austrian population approximately 350,000-400,000 cases and 1,000-1,200 deaths are observed during an average epidemic, which puts influenza-related deaths on top of the list of vaccine-preventable cases of death. In face of extensive vaccination recommendations, the current vaccination rate of the general population of about 6% is one of the lowest worldwide. The objective of this study was to provide an update regarding the use of influenza vaccination in Austria over the period 1982-2015.

Methods: This paper presents data on influenza vaccine use in Austria displayed by the number of distributed doses per 1,000 population over a period of 33 years. Further data was collected from representative population-based telephone surveys.

Results: Austria has always been among the countries with a low number of distributed doses of influenza vaccine. The highest number ever was reached in 2006 with 142 doses/1,000. From 2007 onwards, a steady decrease happened to 62 doses/1,000 in the 2015/16 season, which corresponds to the level of the mid-nineties.

Conclusion: Despite the fact that Austria is a country with comprehensive recommendations for influenza vaccination, this vaccination continues to be misjudged by the Austrian population and many areas of the medical system. From a public health point of view, this situation is not acceptable. Efforts must be increased to attain a much higher vaccination rate, e.g. the importance of the healthcare workers' influence must be recognized, the options of social marketing have to be utilized and studies on the main barriers in Austria are urgently needed.

Keywords: influenza, vaccination, vaccine use, dose distribution, Austria

Received: December 12, 2016; Revised: March 25, 2019; Accepted: March 25, 2019; Published: June 26, 2019  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Kunze U, Böhm G, Prager B, Groman E. Influenza vaccination in Austria: Persistent resistance and ignorance to influenza prevention and control. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2019;27(2):127-130. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a5010. PubMed PMID: 31241287.
Download citation

References

  1. Vaccines against influenza WHO position paper - November 2012. Wkly Epidemiol Rec. 2012 Nov 23;87(47):461-76. Go to PubMed...
  2. World Health Organization. Influenza. Fact sheet No 211 [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2003 [cited 2016 Jun 15]. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/2003/fs211/en.
  3. Seasonal human influenza and vaccination - the facts [Internet]. Solna: ECDC; 2009 [cited 2016 Sep 19]. Available from: http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/Documents/0712_seasonal_human_influenza_vaccination.pdf.
  4. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Fact sheet for health professionals on seasonal influenza [Internet]. Solna: ECDC [cited 2016 Jun 15]. Available from: http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/healthtopics/seasonal_influenza/basic_facts/Pages/factsheet_professionals_seasonal_influenza.aspx.
  5. Kou HW, Schmid D, Liu YL, Allerberger F. Influenza-related excess mortality, Austria 2001 till 2009. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2011 Oct;123(19-20):593-8. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  6. VENICE III. Vaccine European New Integrated Collaboration Effort [Internet]. [cited 2016 Sep 20]. Available from: http://venice.cineca.org.
  7. Resolution WHA56.19. Prevention and control of influenza pandemics and annual epidemics. In: Fifty-sixth World Health Assembly, Geneva, 19-28 May 2003, resolutions and decisions, annexes. Geneva: WHO; 2003. p. 38-40.
  8. Commission of The European Communities. Proposal for a Council Recommendation on seasonal influenza vaccination [Internet]. Brussels: Commission of The European Communities; 2009 [cited 2016 Jun 16]. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/health/vaccination/key_documents/index_en.htm.
  9. Hoffman K, Paget J, Wojczewski S, Katic M, Maier M, Soldo D. Influenza vaccination prevalence and demographic factors of patients and GPs in primary care in Austria and Croatia: a cross-sectional comparative study in the framework of the APRES project. Eur J Public Health. 2016;26(3):395-401. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  10. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Seasonal influenza vaccination and antiviral use in Europe - Overview of vaccination recommendations and coverage rates in the EU Member States for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 influenza seasons. Stockholm: ECDC; 2016.
  11. Palache A, Oriol-Mathieu V, Fino M, Xydia-Charmanta M; Influenza Vaccine Supply task force (IFPMA IVS). Seasonal influenza vaccine dose distribution in 195 countries (2004-2013): Little progress in estimated global vaccination coverage. Vaccine. 2015 Oct 13;33(42):5598-5605. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  12. Kunze U, Groman E, Böhm G, Kunze M. Influenza vaccination in Austria, 1982-2003. Wien Med Wochenschr. 2007;157(5-6):98-101. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  13. Kunze U, Böhm G, Groman E. Influenza vaccination in Austria, 1982-201: a country resistant to influenza prevention and control. Vaccine. 2013 Oct 17;31(44):5099-103. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  14. Austrian vaccination recommendation committee 2016. Vaccination schedule 2016 [Internet]. Vienna: Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection [cited 2016 Jun 9]. Available from: http://bmg.gv.at/home/Impfplan. (In German.)
  15. Fedson DS, Hannoun C, Leese J, Sprenger MJ, Hampson AW, Bro-Jørgensen K, et al. Influenza vaccination in 18 developed countries, 1980-1992. Vaccine. 1995 May;13(7):623-7. Go to PubMed...
  16. Fedson DS, Hirota Y, Shin HK, Cambillard PE, Kiely J, Ambrosch F, et al. Influenza vaccination in 22 developed countries: an update to 1995. Vaccine. 1997 Oct;15(14):1506-11. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  17. Van Essen GA, Palache AM, Forleo E, Fedson DS. Influenza vaccination in 2000: recommendations and vaccine use in 50 developed and rapidly developing countries. Vaccine. 2003;21(16):1780-5. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  18. Macroepidemiology of Influenza Vaccination (MIV) Study Group. The macro-epidemiology of influenza vaccination in 56 countries, 1997-2003. Vaccine. 2005 Oct 25;23(44):5133-43. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  19. Palache A. Seasonal influenza vaccine provision in 157 countries (2004-2009) and the potential influence of national public health policies. Vaccine. 2011;29(51):9459-66. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  20. The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations Influenza Vaccine Supply (IFPMA IVS) Task Force. Influenza vaccine distribution in 141 countries, 2004-2007. ESWI Third European Influenza Conference; 2008 Sep 14-17; Vilamoura, Portugal.
  21. Commission staff working document. State of play on implementation of the Council Recommendation of 22 December 2009 on seasonal influenza vaccination (2009/1019/EU) [Internet]. Brussels: European Commission; 2014 [cited 2016 Jun 15]. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/health/vaccination/key_documents/index_en.htm.
  22. World Health Organization. Global Action Plan for Influenza Vaccines (GAP) [Internet]. Geneva: WHO [cited 2016 Jun 15]. Available from: http://www.who.int/influenza_vaccines_plan/en/.
  23. Preaud E, Durand L, Macabeo B, Farkas N, Sloesen B, Palache A, et al. Annual public health and economic benefits of seasonal influenza vaccination: a European estimate. BMC Public Health. 2014;14:813. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-813. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  24. Hoffmann K, van Bijnen EM, George A, Kutalek R, Jirovsky E, Wojczewski S, et al. Associations between the prevalence of influenza vaccination and patient's knowledge about antibiotics: a cross-sectional study in the framework of the APRES-project in Austria. BMC Public Health. 2015;15:981. doi: 10.1186/s12889-015-2297-x. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
  25. Statistics Austria. Average population in the years 1981 - 2018 according to gender, wide age groups and nationality [Internet]. Vienna: Statistics Austria; 2019 [cited 2019 Mar 25]. Available from: http://www.statistik.at/web_de/statistiken/menschen_und_gesellschaft/bevoelkerung/bevoelkerungsstand_und_veraenderung/bevoelkerung_im_jahresdurchschnitt/031331.html. Go to original source...