Influenza work on the regional level in Sweden: An integrated program for vaccination of risk groups, surveillance and pandemic planning which focuses on the role of the health care worker

The aim of the study was to increase the vaccination rates of influenza among the risk groups in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden. The main interventions performed were education of doctors and nurses, information on the Internet and advice on administrative routines and organisation for the task. There was no campaign towards the risk group and no reimbursement. The vaccination rate increased from 33.6 to 54.6% in the Göteborg area between 1999 and 2004 and from 44.1 to 51.9% in the whole region. Vaccination rates increased with age and chronic disease in the elderly population, among person's 20–64 years of age with chronic disease only 23.8–34.0% were vaccinated. In order to increase the vaccination coverage in persons with chronic disease the program intensified the education of hospital staff. It was then evident that the awareness and knowledge about influenza and vaccination was limited among hospital doctors. The study demonstrates the key role of health care workers in a vaccination program and points at the importance of preparing the personnel for a pandemic situation. Co-ordination of the vaccination program with the surveillance and pandemic planning are effective means of strengthening the preventive work against influenza.