JOURNAL of
ONCOLOGICAL
SCIENCES

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Seasonal Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates Among Patients with Cancer in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
Received Date : 14 Mar 2021
Accepted Date : 04 Jul 2021
Available Online : 16 Aug 2021
Doi: 10.37047/jos.2021-83087 - Article's Language: EN
J Oncol Sci. 2021;7(2):64-70
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
ABSTRACT
Objective: Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates were not in the expected levels before the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among patients with cancer. However, pandemic conditions may have changed the attitude of patients. In this study, we aimed to assess current influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates of patients with cancer and changing attitudes toward vaccination in these patients. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary cancer center in Turkey. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 20 items was used. Results: A total of 309 patients completed the questionnaires. Most patients did not get a flu shot and pneumococcal vaccine before the COVID-19 pandemic (74.1% for flu shot and 84.1% for pneumococcal vaccine). Moreover, 144 patients (46.6%) stated that they were considering to get a flu shot, and 133 (43%) were considering to get a pneumococcal vaccine because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 35 patients (11.3%) got a flu shot, and 56 (18.1%) got a pneumococcal vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Vaccination rates for seasonal influenza and pneumococcal infections were low in patients with cancer before the COVID- 19 pandemic. Although the number of patients who want to be vaccinated against seasonal influenza and pneumococcal infections increased in the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of patients vaccinated with these vaccines is still low.
REFERENCES
  1. Chemaly RF, Ghosh S, Bodey GP, et al. Respiratory viral infections in adults with hematologic malignancies and human stem cell transplantation recipients: a retrospective study at a major cancer center. Medicine (Baltimore). 2006;85(5):278-287. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  2. Weng CF, Chen LJ, Lin CW, et al. Association between the risk of lung cancer and influenza: A population-based nested case-control study. Int J Infect Dis. November 2019;88:8-13. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  3. Abdel-Rahman O. Influenza and pneumonia-attributed deaths among cancer patients in the United States; a population-based study. Expert Rev Respir Med. 2021;15(3):393-401. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  4. Cooksley CD, Avritscher EB, Bekele BN, Rolston KV, Geraci JM, Elting LS. Epidemiology and outcomes of serious influenza-related infections in the cancer population. Cancer. 2005;104(3):618-628. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule for ages 19 years or older, United States, 2021. Available from: [Link]  01.03.2021
  6. Loulergue P, Mir O, Alexandre J, Ropert S, Goldwasser F, Launay O. Low influenza vaccination rate among patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer. Ann Oncol. 2008;19(9):1658. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  7. Sitte J, Frentiu E, Baumann C, et al. Vaccination for influenza and pneumococcus in patients with gastrointestinal cancer or inflam matory bowel disease: A prospective cohort study of methods for improving coverage. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2019;49(1):84-90. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  8. Akın S, Dizdar O, Özışık L, et al. Vaccination attitudes among patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy. International Journal of Hematology and Oncology. 2016;3(26):167-172. [Crossref] 
  9. Skowronski DM, Zou M, Clarke Q, et al. Influenza vaccine does not increase the risk of coronavirus or other noninfluenza respiratory viruses: retrospective analysis from Canada, 2010-2011 to 2016-2017. Clin Infect Dis. 2020;71(16):2285-2288. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  10. Jehi L, Ji X, Milinovich A, et al. Individualizing risk prediction for positive coronavirus disease 2019 testing: results from 11,672 patients. Chest. 2020;158(4):1364-1375. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  11. Paget J, Caini S, Cowling B, et al. The impact of influenza vaccination on the COVID-19 pandemic? Evidence and lessons for public health policies. Vaccine. 2020;38(42):6485-6486. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  12. Poeppl W, Lagler H, Raderer M, et al. Influenza vaccination perception and coverage among patients with malignant disease. Vaccine. 2015;33(14):1682-1687. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  13. Urun Y, Akbulut H, Demirkazik A, et al. Perception about influenza and pneumococcal vaccines and vaccination coverage among patients with malignancies and their family members. J BUON. 2013;18(2):511-515. [PubMed] 
  14. Zein JG, Whelan G, Erzurum SC. Safety of influenza vaccine during COVID-19. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science. 2020;5(1): 1-3. [Crossref]  [PMC] 
  15. Amato M, Werba JP, Frigerio B, et al. Relationship between influenza vaccination coverage rate and COVID-19 outbreak: An Italian ecological study. Vaccines (Basel). 2020;8(3): 535. [Crossref]  [PubMed]  [PMC] 
  16. Vinograd I, Baslo R, Eliakin-Raz N, et al. Factors associated with influenza vaccination among adult cancer patients: A case-control study. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2014;20(9):899-905. [Crossref]  [PubMed] 
  17. Alkan A, Karcı E, Yaşar A, et al. Vaccination in oncology practice and predictors. Support Care Cancer. 2017;25(9):2677-2682. [Crossref]  [PubMed]