Older adults' and physicians' preferences for respiratory syncytial virus vaccination in Germany and Italy: A discrete choice experiment.

OBJECTIVE

To improve the uptake of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination, we used discrete choice experiments (DCEs) to understand the vaccine attributes most important to older adults receiving RSV vaccines and physicians recommending RSV vaccines in Germany and Italy.

METHODS

The vaccine attributes assessed included the level of protection from lower respiratory tract disease provided in the first and second year, flexibility in time of administration, the possibility for co-administration with one other vaccine, and if the vaccine was recommended in clinical guidelines and/or a national immunization program (NIP). DCE results were used to derive relative attribute importance, minimum acceptable benefits, and predicted choice probabilities.

RESULTS

A total of 999 older adults and 300 physicians were included. The most important vaccine attributes to both groups were the level of protection provided in the first and second year, and the inclusion of the vaccine in a NIP. Older adults and physicians would only consider a vaccine not included in a NIP if the first-year protection was ≥20-27 % higher than that of a vaccine included in the NIP. Co-administration and time of administration had little to no impact. Older adults aged 60-69 years with chronic conditions associated with increased risks of RSV were most likely to accept RSV vaccination (85 %), vs those aged 50-59 years with these conditions (78 %), aged 60-69 years without these conditions (61 %), or aged ≥70 years (65 %) with/without these conditions. Similarly, German and Italian physicians were most likely to recommend a vaccine to adults aged 60-69 years with chronic conditions as well as to those aged ≥70 years.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that, to improve RSV vaccine uptake in Germany and Italy, RSV vaccines should remain included in NIPs, and older and physicians should be informed of vaccine protection levels and benefits.