Influenza vaccination: pros and cons? Views of general practitioners and the general population

Introduction: Compared to the international guidelines, the flu vaccination rate of the Hungarian adult population is not satisfactory due to its heterogeneous attitude towards vaccination. Based on previous results, the convincing potential of general practitioners seems to be significant, therefore they have an important role when influencing people's decision-making concerning this topic. Objective: To identify drivers and barriers to flu vaccination among general practitioners and the whole population. Method: Adult subjects representing the whole general population (n = 1000), and a representative sample of general practitioners (n = 317) surveyed through online self-completed questionnaires. Results: 93% of the adult population is aware of influenza vaccine's existence. 30% prefer to follow the general practitioner's advice on this topic. General practitioners significantly over-estimate the vaccination coverage of the population they serve. The most common reasons for not getting vaccinated against flu: not considering the influenza dangerous, trusting their own immune system, and being afraid of the side effects of the vaccine. Conclusion: The rate of hard refusal of influenza vaccination is negligible. The vast majority of the population consider this option less important for relative reasons. The general practitioner is an authentic actor for a large part of the population.

Automated summary

The flu vaccination rate among the Hungarian adult population is unsatisfactory due to their inconsistent attitude towards vaccination. General practitioners play a crucial role in influencing people's decision-making, as shown by previous research. The study aimed to identify the factors driving and hindering flu vaccination among general practitioners and the general population. Results indicated that 93% of the adult population is aware of the influenza vaccine, with 30% of them preferring to follow their general practitioner's advice. General practitioners overestimated the vaccination coverage of their patients. The most common reasons for not getting vaccinated against flu were the perception of influenza not being dangerous, trust in one's own immune system, and fear of vaccine side effects.