ABSTRACT
SESSION TITLE: Advances in the Management of Respiratory Infections SESSION TYPE: Original Investigations PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 02:45 pm - 03:45 pm PURPOSE: The factors influencing vaccine uptake are varied and understanding of patient and provider barriers to adult vaccination is limited. Given the importance of provider recommendations for improving uptake, we sought to understand knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among primary care providers and pulmonologists concerning influenza, pneumococcal, and COVID-19 vaccination regarding their adult patients. METHODS: We conducted a survey using the REDCaps platform of 454 Mayo Clinic physicians and advanced practice providers practicing in community internal medicine, family medicine, geriatrics, and pulmonology practicing in Rochester and southeastern Minnesota. We made 3 contacts over 3 months in Fall 2021. Our survey used questions adapted from a variety of sources. Experts evaluated the survey and made revisions, iteratively changing it before IRB approval. It was tested to ensure the survey was usable and able to be understood by the intended population. Results are described combining percentages of those that “sometimes” or “often” used strategies and barriers described are as “some” or “a lot”. RESULTS: 127/454 (28%) providers responded. Most respondents reported that they specifically counseled their high-risk adults to receive the influenza vaccine (92%), the pneumococcal vaccine (87%), and the COVID-19 vaccine (100%). 64% utilize a state or regional immunization information system (IIS) to assess and record immunization data and many use a written or electronic alert when an adult patient hasn’t received their influenza (79%) or pneumococcal (73%) vaccine. Vaccine reminder-recalls are only sent a third of the time. Common misperceptions among patients reported by health care providers were that the flu vaccine would make them sick (87%), get influenza (66%) or that it was not severe enough to warrant vaccination (74%). Barriers to discussions on influenza were lack of time (47%) and other health issues taking precedence (44%). Providers were asked what strategies they used to encourage influenza vaccination. They often discussed morbidity and mortality (88%), their personal experiences (73%), effectiveness of the vaccine (91%), protection of others close to the patient (94%) and provided a statement they felt it was safer to vaccinate than to not (92%). When asked how effective these strategies were, they produced somewhat effective responses. CONCLUSIONS: Providers reported they are counseling patients on vaccines due most of the time. They readily identify numerous patient-reported concerns. They are not frequently using patient-reminder-recall systems but most use immunization information systems and provider point-of-care prompts. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Despite barriers to extensive discussions of immunizations, providers still frequently discussed vaccinations with patients, utilizing written or electronic alerts, although patient reminders were rarely sent. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Jamie Felzer No relevant relationships by Robert Jacobson No relevant relationships by Young Juhn No relevant relationships by Cassie Kennedy No relevant relationships by Lila Rutten No relevant relationships by Chung-Il Wi