Geriatric Patients' Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination Status Registered at Home Care Services and the Effect of Physician's Advice

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge and status of influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations in geriatric patients and to increase the vaccination rates by informing the patients and their relatives. Materials and Methods: This research is a prospective observational study to determine patients' current vaccination status and the changes after brief information and guidance by a physician. A questionnaire and a short standardized information form about the importance and necessity of vaccination has been established for this study. All patients and their relatives registered in the Home Health Care Unit until September 2017 were informed by the standard information form and directed to their family physicians. After the informing, the questionnaire was completed from patient files and by the patients or relatives (N: 295) in routine follow-up home care visits. To determine the effect of recommendation, participants were questioned for vaccination, having influenza and pneumonia, and any hospitalizations after 4 months (N: 228). Results: The mean age of 295 patients in the study was 83.65 ± 7.63. 74.23% of the patients were female, 25.76% were male. 17.28% of the patients were illiterate while 14.23% were graduated from university or higher. 71.53% were widowed or single, and 28.47% were married. While 3.05% of the patients were smoking, 1.01% were using alcohol. 39.32% of the patients were fully dependent, 48.81% were semi-dependent. The mean number of chronic diseases per patient was 3.13 ± 1.38. 31.22% of the patients appeared to have never been informed about influenza, 53.14% about pneumococcal vaccinations. Last year, vaccination rates were 22.03% for influenza and 6.44% for pneumonia. There was a significant relationship between the patients' knowledge about vaccination and vaccination rates for influenza and pneumonia (p<0.001, p = 0.020 respectively). All the patients were informed about the vaccination by brief information, adviced and guided. After 4 months of follow-up, an increase in influenza (25.11%) and pneumococcal (14.91%) vaccinations were observed. Increase in pneumococcal vaccination rate was significant (p <0.001). Significant reduction in the incidence of influenza (p <0.001) and pneumonia (p <0.001) and also a reduction in hospital admissions were observed. Conclusion: In our study, it was determined that patients receiving home health care did not substantially have influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations and they did not have enough knowledge about the vaccines. By informing the patients about the vaccines by the physicians, the rate of vaccination has increased and the incidence of diseases has decreased.