Vaccine. Surveying a nationally representative internet-based panel to obtain timely estimates of influenza vaccination rates.

[Giuseppe]

Vaccine. 2008 Dec 4. [Epub ahead of print]

Surveying a nationally representative internet-based panel to obtain timely estimates of influenza vaccination rates.

Harris KM, Schonlau M, Lurie N. - RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA, United States.

We studied the feasibility of using an internet-based panel survey to obtain timely and accurate population-based data on influenza vaccination.

We surveyed a nationally representative sample of US adults (n=3043) via the internet about use of influenza vaccination during the 2007-8 influenza vaccination season.

We compared the internet-based rates to those from the 2004 and 2008 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS).

The internet-based rates were comparable to those from the NHIS and were obtained in less than six weeks following the end of influenza vaccination season.

We conclude that an internet-based approach can yield accurate estimates of end-of-season influenza vaccination rates in time to support improved management of the subsequent season.

PMID: 19059447 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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