• Louise Maher, Kirsty Hope, Siranda Torvaldsen, Glenda Lawrence, Angela Dawson, Kerrie Wiley, Deborah Thomson, Andrew Hayen, and Stephen Conaty.
• NSW Public Health Officer Training Program, NSW Ministry of Health, 73 Miller Street, North Sydney, NSW 2060, Australia; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, UNSW, Sydney 2052, Australia. Electronic address: lmahe@doh.health.nsw.gov.au.
• Vaccine. 2013 Nov 12; 31 (47): 5557-64.

BackgroundPregnant women have an increased risk of complications from influenza. Influenza vaccination during pregnancy is considered effective and safe; however estimates of vaccine coverage are low. This study aimed to determine influenza vaccination coverage and factors associated with vaccine uptake in pregnant women in two Sydney-based health districts.MethodsA random sample of women who delivered a baby in a public hospital in Sydney and South-Western Sydney Local Health Districts between June and September 2012 were surveyed using a computer assisted telephone interviewing service.ResultsOf the 462 participants (participation rate 92%), 116 (25%) reported receiving the influenza vaccine during their pregnancy. In univariate analysis, vaccination coverage varied significantly depending on antenatal care type, hospital of birth, and parity (p<0.05), but not for age category, highest level of education, country of birth, language spoken at home, or Aboriginal status. Women who received antenatal care through a general practitioner (GP) had 2.3 (95% CI 1.4-3.6) times the odds (unadjusted) of receiving the influenza vaccination than those who received their antenatal care through a public hospital. The main reason cited for vaccination was GP recommendation (37%), while non-recommendation (33%) and lack of knowledge (26%) were cited as main reasons for not receiving the vaccination. 30% of women recalled receiving a provider recommendation for the vaccination and these women had 33.0 times the odds (unadjusted) of receiving the vaccination than women who had not received a recommendation. In a multivariate model a provider recommendation was the only variable that was significantly associated with vaccination (OR 41.9; 95% CI 20.7-84.9).ConclusionRates of influenza vaccination during pregnancy are low. There is a significant relationship between healthcare provider recommendation for the vaccination and vaccine uptake. Increasing provider recommendation rates has the potential to increase coverage rates of influenza vaccination in pregnant women.Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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