Attitudes, practices, and obstacles towards influenza vaccination for international travelers among travel health advisors in Germany: A questionnaire-based survey
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Attitudes, practices, and obstacles towards influenza vaccination for international travelers among travel health advisors in Germany: A questionnaire-based survey. / Brehm, Thomas Theo; Jordan, Sabine; Addo, Marylyn M; Ramharter, Michael; Kreuels, Benno.
In: TRAVEL MED INFECT DI, Vol. 45, 102233, 2022.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Attitudes, practices, and obstacles towards influenza vaccination for international travelers among travel health advisors in Germany: A questionnaire-based survey
AU - Brehm, Thomas Theo
AU - Jordan, Sabine
AU - Addo, Marylyn M
AU - Ramharter, Michael
AU - Kreuels, Benno
N1 - Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - BACKGROUND: Influenza is the most frequent vaccine-preventable infection in travelers, and both national and international guidelines recommend considering seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) not only for those with risk factors for complications but for all travelers. However, vaccination coverage may be hampered by a lack of awareness among travelers and health care providers and limited vaccine availability outside the local influenza season.METHODS: We identified travel health advisors in databases of German medical professional societies and invited them to complete an online questionnaire between April and May 2021.RESULTS: Among 1085 travel health advisors contacted by email, 253 (23.3%) completed the online questionnaire. Most of them recommend SIV for travelers older than 60 years or those with comorbidities regardless of the travel destination or the influenza season in Germany. However, only very few respondents stated that they had regular access to SIV in June (n = 16, 6.5%), July (n = 10, 4.0%), and August (n = 17, 6.9%), respectively. While most participants (n = 197, 79.4%) stated that they would vaccinate more travelers if they had SIV regularly available outside the German influenza season, only eleven respondents (4.4%) have previously ordered SIV produced for the southern hemisphere, which was attributed mainly to logistic barriers.CONCLUSIONS: Travel health advisors in Germany recommend SIV for a considerable proportion of travelers. While most of them see a necessity to vaccinate throughout the year, availability of SIV outside the German season is very limited. Current organizational barriers must be overcome to increase vaccination coverage among international travelers.
AB - BACKGROUND: Influenza is the most frequent vaccine-preventable infection in travelers, and both national and international guidelines recommend considering seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) not only for those with risk factors for complications but for all travelers. However, vaccination coverage may be hampered by a lack of awareness among travelers and health care providers and limited vaccine availability outside the local influenza season.METHODS: We identified travel health advisors in databases of German medical professional societies and invited them to complete an online questionnaire between April and May 2021.RESULTS: Among 1085 travel health advisors contacted by email, 253 (23.3%) completed the online questionnaire. Most of them recommend SIV for travelers older than 60 years or those with comorbidities regardless of the travel destination or the influenza season in Germany. However, only very few respondents stated that they had regular access to SIV in June (n = 16, 6.5%), July (n = 10, 4.0%), and August (n = 17, 6.9%), respectively. While most participants (n = 197, 79.4%) stated that they would vaccinate more travelers if they had SIV regularly available outside the German influenza season, only eleven respondents (4.4%) have previously ordered SIV produced for the southern hemisphere, which was attributed mainly to logistic barriers.CONCLUSIONS: Travel health advisors in Germany recommend SIV for a considerable proportion of travelers. While most of them see a necessity to vaccinate throughout the year, availability of SIV outside the German season is very limited. Current organizational barriers must be overcome to increase vaccination coverage among international travelers.
U2 - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102233
DO - 10.1016/j.tmaid.2021.102233
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 34890809
VL - 45
JO - TRAVEL MED INFECT DI
JF - TRAVEL MED INFECT DI
SN - 1477-8939
M1 - 102233
ER -
