Table 3 Reasons for vaccine acceptance or refusal among elderly adults
Reasons for acceptance | Reasons for refusal |
|---|---|
Personal facilitators | Personal barriers |
Positive attitude to prevention. Desire to avoid flu | Not knowledgeable about flu or severity of flu |
Recommended by physician or nurse, by mail, or personally | Low educational attainment, low health-related printed literacy |
Recommended by friend or relative | Misconceptions about immunization in adults |
Being knowledgeable about the severity of the flu | Perception of low susceptibility to the disease due to good health status: “Not likely to contract influenza” |
Having “not very good health” | Lack of knowledge about indications of influenza vaccine in general or for himself |
Having a chronic condition that puts them at higher risk for getting the flu | Unjustified medical reasons (allergy to drugs, chronic illness) |
Having had a job that puts them at a higher risk for getting the flu | Lack of interest, forgot to get it, never considered it before |
Positive prior experiences with the vaccine or only mild side effects | Anecdotes or prior negative experiences with the vaccine |
Benefits of the flu shot | Concerns or fears about risks of the flu shot |
Prevention | Side effects, pain, fear of injections |
Decreases symptom severity of the flu | Fear of undisclosed shot contents |
Greater ability to do day-to-day activities | Misconception of getting influenza from the vaccine |
“Do not pass influenza to my family and friends” | Disbelief in vaccine efficacy |
Perceived consequences: thought that unvaccinated persons would probably contract influenza | Previous bad reactions and past problems with flu shot batches |
Free vaccine: Social Security pays for it | Accessibility problems: transport, distance, convenience, unable to attend because ill health, language |
Getting older | Cost: patient unable to afford the shot. Lack of knowledge about insurance coverage |
Structural facilitators | Structural barriers |
Physician’s recommendation/reminder to get the shot | Word of mouth from the community to not get a flu shot |
Visits to the physician | Irregular or lack of preventive healthcare |
Word-of-mouth from the community to get a flu shot | Doctor did not recommended the vaccine, missed opportunities |
Written or visual media promoting flu shot use | Lack of access |
Vaccine is free or low cost | Regarding vaccine shortage |
Type of physician | Regarding location access |