The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #59238

Kwadwo Bosompra, Phd, Medical Biostatistics Dep't & Dep't of Physical Therapy, University of Vermont, 105 Carrigan Drive, 27 Hills Science Building, Burlington, VT 05405, Takamaru Ashikaga, Phd, Medical Biostatistics Department, University of Vermont, 105 Carrigan Drive, 27 Hills Science Building, Burlington, VT 05405, 802-656-0633, tashikag@zoo.uvm.edu, and Anne Ruby, RN, MSA, Rutland Regional Medical Center, Coalition for Adult Immunization in Rutland Region (CAIRR), 7 Albert Cree Drive, P.O. Box 787, Rutland, VT 05702.

Flu-related deaths have recently been found to have been grossly underestimated in the last two decades and they have now surpassed AIDS as a lethal killer in the US. Across the country local community organizations have drawn up their own responses to the influenza threat on particularly, the most vulnerable, the elderly population. As part of a regional needs assessment, telephone interviews were conducted in the spring of 2000 with 799 residents of the southern region of the state of Vermont aged 60 years or older about their attitudes, perceived norms and intentions relative to obtaining flu shots. Factor analyses revealed two dimensions each underlying attitudes and perceived norms. Subsequent regression analyses confirmed that one attitude construct - perceived benefits - and both normative indices were significant predictors of immunization intention explaining 45% of its variation. The results suggest that an intervention program targeting a similar group of respondents should emphasize the advantages of getting flu shots and also effectively address their perceived side effects. Additionally, the program should enhance positive normative beliefs about flu shots by popularizing the belief that most people hold more favorable than unfavorable beliefs about obtaining flu shots. System factors like availability of transportation, attitude of clinic staff and cost of shots were apparently less important for this sample. These results will be used to inform the design of an intervention program to increase immunization coverage among elderly citizens in the region.

Learning Objectives:

• By the end of the session, the participant in this session will be able to:
• 3. Describe the prevalence of favorable and unfavorable beliefs about flu immunization among elderly residents of the community.
  6. Articulate the procedure for identifying predictors of a behavior of interest.
  9. Identify the predictors of the flu immunization intentions of elderly citizens residing in the community.

Keywords: Elderly, Immunizations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.