Outpatient care intensity and influenza vaccination: evidence from Germany
Vaccine·
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.128038
- PMID
- 41337979
- PMCID
- —
- OpenAlex
- W4416893728
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
The authors present the findings as showing that influenza vaccination coverage remains below target in the groups examined. The study suggests that routine review of vaccination status during outpatient encounters may be an important opportunity for improving uptake in adults with chronic conditions and older adults.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The paper examines whether outpatient care intensity is associated with seasonal influenza vaccination coverage among German adults who are recommended to receive the vaccine, including older adults and people with chronic conditions.
Study design
This is a retrospective analysis of a large German statutory health insurance claims database. It compares vaccination coverage across influenza seasons from 2016-2017 through 2022-2023 and across patient characteristics and GP contact frequency.
Population and setting
The setting is Germany, using outpatient care data from statutory health insurance claims. Analyses focus on adults, especially those aged 60 and older and those with chronic conditions relevant to disease management programs.
Main findings
Influenza vaccination coverage in adults aged 60 and older ranged from 34.8% to 47.0% across the seasons studied. Coverage was higher among people with chronic conditions, among participants in GP-centered care, and among those with more GP contacts; in the 60+ group, the cross-season average rose from 24.0% with one GP contact to 52.7% with five or more. The abstract also notes that many unvaccinated older adults with chronic conditions still had frequent GP visits.
Public-health relevance
The authors present the findings as showing that influenza vaccination coverage remains below target in the groups examined. The study suggests that routine review of vaccination status during outpatient encounters may be an important opportunity for improving uptake in adults with chronic conditions and older adults.
Important limitations
No specific limitations are stated in the abstract. This summary is limited to the supplied single-article abstract and metadata, so the full paper is needed for decision-grade interpretation.
GIDS interpretation
For discoverability, the record is clearly indexed to influenza vaccination in Germany and outpatient care, making it easy to retrieve in literature screening on vaccine uptake. This supports thematic context only and does not indicate a live surveillance signal.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 7 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.