[Vaccination against influenza--recommendations and reality in the assessments of patients of cardiology and family physician center].

UNLABELLED

Influenza is one of the most common diseases in the world. It occurs seasonally and is a viral disease contracted by a direct contact (respiratory droplets), causing many serious complications. The best way to prevent influenza is to get vaccinated once a year, which is the cheapest and the most effective protection. Research results have confirmed positive effects of influenza vaccination in the group of patients above the age of 65 and under the age of five. The group of high-risk patients comprises people with chronic diseases, especially people suffering from chronic conditions like heart and lung diseases. The aim of the study was to evaluate influenza vaccination and influenza incidence rate.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Family Doctor Office and Cardiology Clinic patients were included to the study The source of data was questionnaire concerning anti-influenza avaccination and influenza occurrence. Another source of the data were records from the National Health Institute, the Public Sanitation Institute and the Warsaw Epidemiological Center.

RESULTS

The research was conducted on a group of 312 patients. In this group, 134 people got vaccinated against the seasonal influenza (42.94%). Regular vaccination was declared by 78 patients (58.20%). 29 people had symptoms of influenza. From a group of higher-risk patients above the age of 65, 35 patients got vaccinated (51.47%). In this group only 3 people got ill (8.57%).

CONCLUSIONS

According to research, not enough Poles get vaccinated against seasonal influenza. Moreover, not all of them do this regularly. Vaccinated people get ill less frequently than people who have not been vaccinated, which proves the effectiveness of vaccination. There is a need of further informative actions and wide-spread activities in order to increase the number of vaccinated people, especially from a higher risk group, which - based on the latest research results - is significant in a prevention of complications, including the development of acute coronary syndrome.