Questionnaire
chronic diseases, ’
DISEASE, CHRONIC DISEASES, INFLUENZA, FLU, INFLUENZA
We recruited participants aged 60 years and above and conducted a face-to-face survey interview during their visits to CHCs in October 2016 (pre-implementation of free influenza vaccination) and October 2017 (post-implementation of free influenza vaccination). Considering the survey feasibility in this megacity, Shenzhen, we randomly invited a total of 1200 older participants aged 60 and above during their visits to CHCs in October 2016 and followed them up until October 2017; among them, 958 participants completed the follow-up survey using the same questionnaire.We used a self-designed questionnaire, which contained 11 questions related to knowledge, attitude, and practice of influenza vaccination. Three questions were about participants’ awareness of influenza vaccination. Participants were asked ‘Have you ever heard about influenza vaccination specifically offered to older adults?’, ‘Do you know about the free influenza vaccination program for older adults?’, and ‘Do you know where to get the influenza vaccine?’, with binary responses of ‘Yes’ and ‘No’.The following section was about patients’ knowledge regarding influenza vaccination: (1) ‘Who has the priority to take influenza vaccines?’, with the following response options: ‘Healthcare workers’, ‘vulnerable populations and workers in care homes’, ‘students’, ‘older adults aged 60 years and above, 6-month to 5-year old children’, ‘patients with certain chronic diseases’, ‘carers and family members of under 6-month old babies’, and ‘women who are pregnant or ready to give birth during flu seasons’; (2) ‘How frequently should you be vaccinated?’, with three response options including ‘Once a year’, ‘Five times a year’, and ‘Do not know’; (3) ‘When is the suitable time to be vaccinated?’, with three options consisting of ‘In any season’, ‘Usually in autumn and winter’, and ‘Do not know’; (4) ‘How long is the protection duration of influenza vaccine?’, with three responses including ‘Six to eight months’, ‘At least five years’, and ‘Do not know’. Two questions were asked about older patients’ attitudes regarding influenza vaccination: ‘Whether you think older adults should have the influenza vaccine?’ and ‘Whether you think patients with chronic diseases should have the influenza vaccine?’, with responses of ‘Yes’, ‘No’ and ‘Do not know’.Participants were then asked about their influenza vaccination history: ‘Ever vaccinated’ or ‘No’. If they reported ‘No’, they were asked to select the following reasons for not taking influenza vaccination: (1) ‘I am healthy enough and there is no need to take the vaccine’, (2) ‘I do not know about the influenza vaccination’, (3) ‘I think the influenza vaccine is not safe’, (4) ‘The influenza vaccine is not effective’, (5) ‘I have no time to get vaccinated’, (6) ‘Influenza is not a severe disease and it does not lead to any severe results’, (7) ‘It is inconvenient for me to get vaccinated’, (8) ‘It is too expensive to get vaccinated’, (9) ‘Physicians do not recommend to get the influenza vaccination’, and (10) ‘Other reasons’.