This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Oncologist recommendations influence cancer patients’ flu vaccine decisions
Cancer patients and their families often based their decisions regarding influenza vaccinations on the attitudes and recommendations of their oncologists, according to recent findings.
In an observational study, Roy F. Chemaly, MD, MPH, professor in the department of infectious diseases, infection control and employee health at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and colleagues evaluated 120 adult patients undergoing treatment at a tertiary cancer care center with laboratory-confirmed influenza. One hundred eight of the patients participated in a telephone survey, while vaccination rates were extracted from the medical records of 12 patients. Participants answered questions about the influenza vaccine, including whether their physician had recommended it, their main reason for nonvaccination for those who had forgone the vaccine, vaccination status of household family members, and reasons for opting against vaccination for household members.
The researchers found that 43% of the participants had been vaccinated, 53% had not, and 3% were excluded because they did not recall if they had been vaccinated. Of the unvaccinated patients, 61% had been eligible for influenza vaccination under current guidelines. Survey respondents reported that recommendation by a health care provider was the factor most strongly predictive of vaccination, and participants whose oncologist had suggested they receive the vaccine were more likely to undergo vaccination compared with those whose doctors did not recommend vaccination (crude OR = 6.96; 95% CI, 2.93-16.55). Moreover, age was a significant predictive factor, with those aged older than 50 years more likely to undergo vaccination (crude OR = 2.39; 95% CI, 1.09-5.25).
Roy F. Chemaly
Of the respondents who were not vaccinated, recommendation against vaccination by the patient’s oncologist was the primary reason (88%) for forgoing the vaccine. No significant association was seen between vaccination status and hospital admission, progression to pneumonia or mortality.
“Physician attitudes and recommendations play major roles in the influenza vaccination decisions of cancer patients and their household members,” the researchers wrote. “One targeted intervention should be to strengthen the recommendation of physicians, especially oncologists, encouraging their participation in promoting influenza vaccination of both patients and their family members.” – by Jen Byrne
Disclosure: Ariza-Heredia reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.