Notification about influenza vaccination in Belgium: a descriptive study of how people want to be informed.

BACKGROUND: Influenza causes a substantial socioeconomic burden. In Belgium- only 54% of the target group receives an annual vaccination. Patient reminder/recall systems are effective in improving vaccination rates in primary care- but little is known about patients' preferences on notification of influenza vaccination. AIMS: To evaluate whether general practice patients wish to be notified of the possibility of receiving influenza immunisation- and how. METHODS: In January 2008- 750 questionnaires were handed out to all consecutive patients aged >18 years in three Belgian general practices. Main outcome measures were the percentage wanting to be notified- demographic and medical factors influencing the information needs of the patients and the specific way in which patients wanted to be notified. RESULTS: About 80% of respondents wanted to be notified of the possibility of influenza vaccination. Logistic regression analysis showed that those who had previously been vaccinated particularly wished to be notifi