Materials and Method: An analytical, cross-sectional study was performed between September 2022 and November 2022 at 10 family health centers randomly selected from a total of 34 such centers in Efeler. The study"s calculated sample size was 321 participants. During the study period, a researcher administered data collection forms that had been developed via a literature review to older patients on a face-to-face basis. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 20.0 statistical software, while descriptive statistics as well as chi-square and logistic regression tests were employed to identify the factors associated with vaccination rates among this population. The statistical significance level was set as p <0.05.
Results: Among the 321 participants, 51.4% were male, 70.7% were in the 65?74 age range, 77.0% were married, and 88.2% had at least one chronic disease. Moreover, 90.0% were aware of the vaccines recommended for their age group, while 81.3% stated that vaccines had been recommended to them after the age of 60. In the past year, 39.3% of participants had received an influenza vaccine, 6.2% had received at least two doses of pneumococcal vaccine, and 0.3% had received a herpes zoster vaccine. The influenza vaccine coverage in the past year was 2.1 times higher in those aged 75 years and over than in younger participants (p = 0.005), while it was 3.9 times higher in those with chronic diseases compared to those without (p = 0.004). The participants with active employment had received at least two doses of pneumococcal vaccine, indicating a vaccine rate 13.1 times higher than among those without employment (p < 0.001), while participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and/or asthma had a vaccination rate 7.8 times higher than participants without either condition (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The overall vaccination coverage among the participants was quite low. While the influenza vaccine was commonly received, the herpes zoster vaccine was only rarely administered. An older age and the presence of chronic diseases were associated with higher influenza vaccination rates, while being in active employment and having COPD and/or asthma were associated with higher pneumococcal vaccination rates. Further qualitative studies are required to elucidate the behaviors and attitudes of the younger members of the older adult age group who do not have chronic diseases when it comes to receiving vaccines included in the program.
Keywords : Pneumococcal Vaccine; Influenzavirus Vaccine; Zoster Vaccine; Aged