Table 5.
Participants’ knowledge about influenza and influenza vaccination
| Question | Correct answer | Answer | Vaccinated n = 200 (100%) |
Unvaccinated n = 1431 (100%) |
Total n = 1631 (100%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number (%) | Number (%) | Number (%) | |||
| Influenza is an infectious disease | True | Correct | 194(97.0) | 1333(93.2) | 1527(93.6) |
| Wrong | 4(2.0) | 57(4.0) | 61(3.7) | ||
| Do not know | 0(0.0) | 30(2.1) | 30(1.8) | ||
| NA | 2(1.0) | 11(0.8) | 13(0.8) | ||
| Influenza vaccination is recommended annually for the risk groups | True | Correct | 194(97.0) | 1122(78.4) | 1316(80.7) |
| Wrong | 0(0.0) | 87(6.1) | 87(5.3) | ||
| Do not know | 3(1.5) | 205(14.3) | 208(12.8) | ||
| NA | 3(1.5) | 17(1.2) | 20(1.2) | ||
| Influenza vaccination is highly/specially recommended for the elderly | True | Correct | 189(94.5) | 988(69.0) | 1282(78.6) |
| Wrong | 1(0.5) | 148(10.3) | 119(7.3) | ||
| Do not know | 6(3.0) | 280(19.6) | 209(12.8) | ||
| NA | 4(2.0) | 15(1.1) | 21(1.3) | ||
| Influenza vaccination is highly/specially recommended for those with chronic diseases | True | Correct | 185(92.5) | 1093(76.4) | 1173(71.9) |
| Wrong | 4(2.0) | 118(8.3) | 152(9.3) | ||
| Do not know | 9(4.5) | 203(14.2) | 289(17.7) | ||
| NA | 2(1.0) | 17(1.2) | 17(1.0) | ||
| Elderly and those with certain chronic diseases can get the flu vaccination for free | True | Correct | 183(91.5) | 1009(70.5) | 1192(73.1) |
| Wrong | 4(2.0) | 48(3.4) | 52(3.2) | ||
| Do not know | 11(5.5) | 360(25.2) | 371(22.8) | ||
| NA | 2(1.0) | 14(1.0) | 16(1.0) | ||
| Influenza is a synonym for common cold | False | Correct | 179(89.5) | 1239(86.6) | 1418(86.9) |
| Wrong | 9(4.5) | 106(7.4) | 115(7.1) | ||
| Do not know | 7(3.5) | 73(5.1) | 80(4.9) | ||
| NA | 5(2.5) | 13(0.9) | 18(1.1) | ||
| In case of fever the vaccination should be postponed | True | Correct | 177(88.5) | 1176(82.2) | 1353(83.0) |
| Wrong | 7(3.5) | 41(2.9) | 48(2.9) | ||
| Do not know | 13(6.5) | 199(13.9) | 212(13.0) | ||
| NA | 3(1.5) | 15(1.1) | 18(1.1) | ||
| The best method to prevent influenza is the influenza vaccination | True | Correct | 172(86.0) | 619(43.3) | 791(48.5) |
| Wrong | 12(6.0) | 453(31.7) | 465(28.5) | ||
| Do not know | 13(6.5) | 339(23.7) | 352(21.6) | ||
| NA | 3(1.5) | 20(1.4) | 23(1.4) | ||
| Time to onset of action is 2 weeks for influenza vaccination in case of adults | True | Correct | 163(81.5) | 841(58.8) | 1004(61.6) |
| Wrong | 6(3.0) | 68(4.8) | 74(4.5) | ||
| Do not know | 29(14.5) | 501(35.0) | 530(32.5) | ||
| NA | 2(1.0) | 21(1.5) | 23(1.4) | ||
| Influenza vaccine contains safe ingredients | True | Correct | 159(79.5) | 606(42.4) | 765(46.9) |
| Wrong | 8(4.0) | 258(18.0) | 266(16.3) | ||
| Do not know | 31(15.5) | 544(38.0) | 575(35.3) | ||
| NA | 2(1.0) | 23(1.6) | 25(1.5) | ||
| Influenza can be prevented by high dose vitamin C (min. 500 mg daily) instead of vaccination | False | Correct | 156(78.0) | 662(46.3) | 818(50.2) |
| Wrong | 12(6.0) | 407(28.4) | 419(25.7) | ||
| Do not know | 30(15.0) | 344(24.0) | 374(22.9) | ||
| NA | 2(1.0) | 18(1.3) | 20(1.2) | ||
| Antibiotics work against influenza | False | Correct | 155(77.5) | 953(66.6) | 1108(67.9) |
| Wrong | 24(12.0) | 321(22.4) | 345(21.2) | ||
| Do not know | 18(9.0) | 144(10.1) | 162(9.9) | ||
| NA | 3(1.5) | 13(0.9) | 16(1.0) | ||
| The flu vaccination can weaken the immune system | False | Correct | 151(75.5) | 652(45.6) | 803(49.2) |
| Wrong | 24(12.0) | 439(30.7) | 463(28.4) | ||
| Do not know | 22(11.0) | 320(22.4) | 342(21.0) | ||
| NA | 3(1.5) | 20(1.4) | 23(1.4) | ||
| Influenza can be prevented by herbs (e.g. honey, ginger tea) instead of vaccination | False | Correct | 143(71.5) | 672(47.0) | 815(50.0) |
| Wrong | 13(6.5) | 374(26.1) | 387(23.7) | ||
| Do not know | 41(20.5) | 368(25.7) | 409(25.1) | ||
| NA | 3(1.5) | 17(1.2) | 20(1.2) | ||
| You should not take influenza vaccination if you have already got influenza | False | Correct | 117(58.5) | 625(43.7) | 742(45.5) |
| Wrong | 49(24.5) | 421(29.4) | 470(28.8) | ||
| Do not know | 32(16.0) | 370(25.9) | 402(24.7) | ||
| NA | 2(1.0) | 15(1.0) | 17(1.0) | ||
| The flu vaccination can cause flu | False | Correct | 109(54.5) | 390(27.3) | 499(30.6) |
| Wrong | 62(31.0) | 711(49.7) | 773(47.4) | ||
| Do not know | 27(13.5) | 308(21.5) | 335(20.5) | ||
| NA | 2(1.0) | 22(1.5) | 24(1.5) | ||
| In case of egg allergy, the flu vaccination can be taken | True | Correct | 58(29.0) | 323(22.6) | 381(23.4) |
| Wrong | 61(30.5) | 264(18.5) | 325(19.9) | ||
| Do not know | 79(39.5) | 822(57.4) | 901(55.2) | ||
| NA | 2(1.0) | 22(1.5) | 24(1.5) |