Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll Finds More Americans Plan to Receive Flu Shots than a Year Ago

Many Hold-Outs Still Believe They ‘Do Not Need’ the Flu Shot

ANN ARBOR, Mich. & WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–More Americans have either already received a flu shot or plan to get
one this year than those who received the vaccination a year ago,
according to the Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll.

Truven
Health Analytics
™ and NPR
conduct a bimonthly poll to gauge attitudes and opinions on a wide range
of health issues.

The latest survey asked respondents for their opinions regarding flu
shots. Sixty-two percent of respondents had either already received a
flu shot or planned to get one this year. This reflects a 6 percentage
point jump from the number of respondents who said they had received the
shot last year.

Seventy-eight percent of respondents said their latest flu vaccine cost
them nothing out of pocket. Thirty-five percent received the shot at a
doctor’s office, followed by 27 percent who received it at a pharmacy
and 16 percent who received it at their place of employment.

When those who said they would not receive a flu shot were asked why
they will abstain, the most common response was that it was not needed
(48 percent), followed by a concern about side effects (16 percent),
fear of getting the flu because of the vaccination (14 percent), and
belief that the shot is ineffective (8 percent).

“Unfortunately, the erroneous belief that receiving the vaccine will
cause influenza is still fairly common, as this survey shows. The
vaccine contains ‘killed virus,’ so there is no risk of contracting
influenza from the vaccine. However, the inhaled version does have live
virus particles, so this form of vaccine does carry a slight risk,” said
Michael Taylor, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Truven Health Analytics.
“The other issue noted from the survey is the idea that people ‘don’t
need it.’ If more people receive the vaccine, it is harder for the virus
to spread. From a public health perspective, if more Americans receive
the vaccine, it would be more difficult for an epidemic to develop.”

To date, the Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll has explored
numerous health topics, including generic drugs, vaccines, data privacy,
narcotic painkillers and sports-related concussions. NPR’s reports on
the surveys are archived online at the Shots health blog here.

Truven Health Analytics maintains a library of poll results here.

The Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll is powered by the Truven
Health PULSE® Healthcare Survey, the nation’s largest and
longest-running independently funded, nationally representative
multi-modal poll that collects information about health-related
behaviors and attitudes and healthcare utilization from 82,000 US
households annually. Survey questions are developed in conjunction with
NPR. The figures in this month’s poll are based on 3,008 participants
interviewed from October 1-15, 2015. The margin of error is 1.8 percent.

About Truven Health Analytics

Truven
Health Analytics
delivers the answers that clients need to improve
healthcare quality and access while reducing costs. We provide
market-leading performance improvement solutions built on data
integrity, advanced analytics, and domain expertise. For more than 40
years, our insights and solutions have been providing hospitals and
clinicians, employers and health plans, state and federal government
agencies, life sciences companies, and policymakers the facts they need
to make confident decisions that directly affect the health and
well-being of people and organizations in the U.S. and around the world.

Truven Health Analytics owns some of the most trusted brands in
healthcare, such as MarketScan®, 100
Top Hospitals
®, Advantage Suite®, Micromedex®,
Simpler, and ActionOI®. Truven Health has its principal offices in Ann
Arbor, Mich.; Chicago; and Denver. For more information, please visit
truvenhealth.com

About NPR

NPR is an award-winning, multimedia news organization and an influential
force in American life. In collaboration with more than 900 independent
public radio stations nationwide, NPR strives to create a more informed
public – one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and
appreciation of events, ideas and cultures.

Contacts

For Truven Health Analytics
J. Roderick, Inc. Public Relations
Brian
Erni, 631-584-2200
brian@jroderick.com

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