Zusammenfassung
Die Schutzimpfung gegen Influenza spielt eine wichtige Rolle in Programmen für die öffentliche Gesundheit. Anfang der 90er-Jahre begannen internationale Wissenschaftler Informationen über den Gebrauch der Influenza-Impfung in Industrieländern zu sammeln. Der jährliche Level an verteilten Influenza-Impfstoffen in den einzelnen Ländern wurde mittels der Anzahl der verteilten Impfstoffdosen pro 1000 Gesamtbevölkerung berechnet. Im ersten Untersuchungszeitraum (1980–1992) zeigte sich in den 18 teilnehmenden Ländern ein geringer Gebrauch der Impfung. Insgesamt jedoch nahm die Zahl der Dosen in den meisten Ländern zu, mit Ausnahme von Österreich (20 Dosen/1000, 1980 und 23/1000 im Jahr 1992). Im Zeitraum 1992–1995 konnte Österreich den Verbrauch an Impfstoffdosen leicht auf 52/1000 steigern, blieb aber weiterhin hinter den meisten anderen Ländern zurück. Damals war die Selbstzahlung des Impfstoffes üblich, und es gab keinerlei Vergütung durch die Krankenkassen. Im dritten Untersuchungszeitraum (1996–2003) kam es zu einem Anstieg der verteilten Influenza-Impfstoffdosen auf 127/1000, zusammen mit Schweden (127) und Norwegen (102) gehörte Österreich allerdings zu den 3 letzten Ländern in Westeuropa. Mögliche Gründe für diese enttäuschenden Impfraten könnten sein: Die Menschen verwechseln Influenza mit dem grippalen Infekt, ein Mangel an effizientem sozialen Marketing zur Aufklärung der Bevölkerung, es existiert kaum eine Form der Kostenübernahme und es herrscht eine gewisse Uneinigkeit in der österreichischen Ärzteschaft, was die Wichtigkeit der Impfung angeht. Besonders im Hinblick auf eine drohende Pandemie müssen alle Anstrengungen unternommen werden, das Bewusstsein in der Bevölkerung zu heben und gute Durchimpfungsraten zu erzielen.
Summary
Since the past decade influenza vaccination is becoming an increasingly important aspect of public health programs. In the early 1990s independent investigators began to gather information on the comparative use of influenza vaccine in developed countries. The annual level of influenza vaccine distributed in each country was calculated as the number of doses distributed per 1000 total resident population. During the first period of research in 18 developed countries influenza vaccine was widely underused. From 1980 to 1992 the annual vaccination rates increased in most of the 18 countries. But Austria (Switzerland and Finland) showed little change (20 doses/1000 in 1982 and 23 doses in 1992). When in 1992–1995 four new countries were included, doses increased slightly in Austria, too, to about 52 doses/1000 in 1995, but the country still belonged to the low-use countries compared to Spain 160 doses/1000, although vaccination was recommended for all elderly people <65 years and persons with high-risk medical conditions. Self-payment was usual, and there was no reimbursement within the national or social health insurance schemes. From 1996 (77 doses/1000), to 2000 (118 doses/1000) and 2003 (127 doses/1000), vaccination increased slightly, but Austria remained one of the lowest three Western European countries reported, together with Sweden (127) and Norway (102). Possible reasons for the low usage in Austria may be the following: people mistake influenza for an influenzalike illness, a lack of effective social marketing, costs are not taken over by social or private insurances and discordance in the Austrian medical fraternity about the importance of vaccination. Especially in view of a possible new influenza pandemic, public awareness of the importance of vaccination must increase.
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Kunze, U., Groman, E., Böhm, G. et al. Influenza vaccination in Austria, 1982–2003. Wien Med Wochenschr 157, 98–101 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-007-0389-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10354-007-0389-7