Impact of media reports regarding influenza vaccine on obstetricians' vaccination practices. Issue 18 (16th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Leary, Sean T.; Cataldi, Jessica R.; Lindley, Megan C.; Hurley, Laura P.; Riley, Laura E.; Brtnikova, Michaela; Crane, Lori A.; Beaty, Brenda; Stokley, Shannon; Fisher, Allison; Kempe, Allison
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 38:Issue 18(2020)
• Page Start: 3474
• Page End: 3479
• Publication Date: 2020-04-16
• Subjects: Influenza -- Vaccination -- Pregnancy -- Media; ACIP Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices -- Tdap tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine -- ACOG American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists -- CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.02.051
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Highlights: National survey of obstetricians' experiences with influenza-related media reports. Decreased effectiveness, purported risk of miscarriage, and severe influenza season. Many unaware of purported increased risk of miscarriage study. Most continued to strongly recommend influenza vaccine despite negative reports. Abstract: Background: In 2017, three media stories regarding influenza vaccine may have impacted obstetricians' (OB) influenza vaccination practices: reports of reduced influenza vaccine effectiveness, a severe influenza season, and a possible increased risk of miscarriage among pregnant women receiving 2009 H1N1 vaccine in the 1st trimester who had received H1N1 vaccine the previous season (later disproven). Objective: Describe OB's: (1) awareness of; (2) attitudes and experiences related to; and (3) reported alterations in practice as a result of these reports. Methods: A survey among a nationally representative sample of OBs April to June 2018. Results: Response rate was 65% (302/468). 88% of OBs were "very aware" of the severe season, 74% of lower effectiveness, and 25% of the miscarriage study (47% "completely unaware" of miscarriage study). Among those aware, 58%, 57%, and 16% reported ≥10% of pregnant patients initiated discussions about the severe season, lower effectiveness, and miscarriage study, respectively. Most (83%) agreed reports about increased severity increased their enthusiasm for recommending influenza vaccine; fewer agreed reports about the miscarriage study (18%) and lower vaccine effectiveness (12%) decreased their enthusiasm for recommending influenza vaccine. Providers were more likely to initiate discussion with patients about increased severity of the season than the other reports. However, 35% agreed the miscarriage study reports increased their concerns about influenza vaccine safety; 18% (n = 48) reported changing the way they recommended influenza vaccine. Of those, 17 (6% of all respondents) reported not recommending influenza vaccine to women during the 1st trimester and 26 (10% of all respondents) recommended it but were willing to delay until the 2nd trimester. Conclusions: During a season in which media stories could have influenced OB influenza vaccination behaviors in different directions, reports underscoring importance of influenza vaccine may have had more impact on OBs' recommendations than reports questioning vaccine safety or effectiveness.