The factors influencing older adults’ (65 yrs +) decision-making processes over whether to adhere to the influenza vaccination: A qualitative systematic review

Abstract

Abstract Background: Public health is threatened with various infections and vaccinations are used to prevent these infections. Similarly, recommendations have been developed to lower the mobility and mortality rates caused by seasonal influenza. For example, people who are 65 years and above receive an annual vaccination against the influenza virus. Despite these measures, only 75% of the targeted group receive the vaccine, according to the World Health Organization in 2010. According to several studies, the uptake of the influenza vaccination is impacted by several variables such as social demographics, and clinical and physician-dependent factors. This systematic review identifies the factors influencing the decision-making process of whether or not to adhere to the administration of influenza vaccines in an adult population of 65 years and above. Methods: A systematic review using quantitative data was used to approach the research. The CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Global Health databases were used to retrieve the studies in a digital form. The primary papers of the studies were assessed using pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Later, the papers' quality was certified using a quality assessment tool. The data collected from the studies were analysed with a thematic analysis approach. Result: The database search yielded six papers. The data obtained from the systematic review offer evidence of three fields of commonality in the factors that affect the decision of whether or not to adhere to the influenza vaccination programme, such as knowledge about vaccination. Conclusion: Global attention has been focused on the complex and combined factors influencing decisions about the usage of vaccines. The findings suggest that barriers other than schedules for vaccine uptake differ due to diverse, interlinked and multifaceted socio-cultural and economic factors and to variations in information on vaccine-preventable diseases and connected vaccines. The current study advances our comprehension of broad aspects of the influenza vaccine, such as socio-cultural influences, the health system sub-structure and prior vaccine experiences.