Steamed Pears, Herbal Bathes, Massage Popular for
Senior Citizens to Avoid Flu Without Shot
Study in 9 countries of why seniors fail to get flu
vaccination finds unusual health rituals
Oct. 12, 2010
Researchers, puzzled by why so many senior citizens in various countries
fail to take advantage of the highly successful flu vaccine, find that
people who chose not to be vaccinated were more likely to rely on
indigenous health practices - together with good general health and hand
hygiene - than those who decided to be vaccinated.
Eating steamed
pears, having a soothing massage or bathing in a herbal mixture are just
some of indigenous health practices used by older people to ward off or
treat influenza, according to research published in the October issue of
the Journal of Advanced Nursing.
Other
traditional measures discovered by nurse researchers at the Hong Kong
Polytechnic University included being rubbed with a coin, eating cheese,
yogurt and honey and having warm drinks made with ginger or lemon.
The team
surveyed nine countries to find out why so many of them were failing to
meet the 75 per cent annual influenza vaccination rate recommended by
the World Health Organization.
"Annual flu
epidemics severely affect three to five million people worldwide every
year and cause up to half a million deaths, with most deaths in
industrialized countries occurring in people over 65" says co-author
Professor Samantha Mei-che Pang from the University's School of Nursing.
"That is why it
is so important to find out why some older people have the annual flu
vaccine, while others decide not to."
The range of
countries chosen by the researchers represented different cultures,
healthcare financing systems and flu vaccine uptakes. Healthcare is
dominated by the private sector in Indonesia and China, while Greece,
Turkey and South Korea all operate a national health insurance system.
The UK and
Canada have national health systems funded by taxation and the health
systems in Brazil and Nigeria rely heavily on the private sector.
A series of
focus groups were held with vaccinated and unvaccinated older people
aged 65 plus and seven countries submitted completed questionnaires
providing demographic data on 172 participants.
This showed that
two-thirds of the people who took part had been vaccinated, with
vaccination rates highest in Canada (93 per cent) and lowest in Nigeria
(31 per cent). Other countries ranged from 44 per cent to 82 per cent.
The team looked
at the attitudes of the vaccinated and unvaccinated people in each group
and this provided useful clues about what had influenced their decision.
People made the
decision to be vaccinated if they:
● Felt existing health conditions
made them vulnerable.
● Viewed flu as very contagious and dangerous, having experienced
complications themselves or seen it in others.
● Had experienced no, or minimal, side effects from previous
vaccinations and less severe symptoms if they thought they had
contracted flu after having the vaccine.
● Recognised that the cost of the flu vaccine was lower to health
services than the cost of treating someone who had contracted flu.
● Didn't want to pass the virus onto other family members, like
grandchildren.
● Were influenced by what was normal practice in their country and
among their circle of friends.
● Had easy access to a local centre providing the vaccine.
● Received reminders that they should be vaccinated, from healthcare
professionals, the media or friends and neighbours.
● Were able to afford the vaccine if it was not provided free by
their healthcare system.
People who did
not have the flu vaccine said they:
●
Didn't see themselves as vulnerable.
● Felt less convinced that the vaccine was effective after negative
reports from others about its efficacy and side-effects.
● Felt that it was sufficient to take preventative measures, such as
leading a healthy lifestyle, with sufficient exercise, a good diet, good
hand hygiene, keeping warm and staying away from germs.
● Were more likely to trust indigenous health practices, such as
special drinks, food or other traditional remedies.
"Our findings
support the growing evidence that older people are much more likely to
be vaccinated against flu if they feel vulnerable, see flu as a threat
and believe that the vaccine will be effective with little, or no, side
effects" says Professor Pang.
"It also
revealed a finding that we do not believe has been observed in previous
studies: that those who distrust the vaccine's effectiveness are more
likely to rely on healthy lifestyles, good hand hygiene and indigenous
health practices to protect them from flu.
"Cost was also a
factor in countries where free healthcare was not available and some
people did not have easy access to a local centre offering vaccinations.
The importance of providing regular reminders was also important, as was
creating a culture where receiving an annual flu vaccine was the norm
for older people."
The study, which
was funded by the International Council of Nurses, includes further
details on each country's participants, together with quotes from the
focus groups.
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