{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T00:13:43Z","timestamp":1787012023845,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,20]],"date-time":"2025-07-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752969600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd."}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Vaccines"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Older adults living in aged care are at risk of poor health outcomes due to influenza, pneumococcal disease, and herpes zoster infections. Despite these conditions being vaccine-preventable, little is known about vaccine uptake rates in the residential elderly care setting in Australia. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study examining the medical records of residents of 31 aged care homes in Australia (n = 1108). Data were extracted from medical records for the period March 2023 to September 2023. The proportion of residents vaccinated against influenza, pneumococcal disease, and herpes zoster was calculated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify possible demographic and other characteristics associated with the vaccination uptake. Results: This study included 1108 residents. Two-thirds (68%) were female, and the median age was 87 years. All residents had one or more comorbidities. Most (92.6%) had received an influenza vaccine within the prior two years, but only 38.3% had received a pneumococcal vaccine, and 16.8% had received herpes zoster vaccination. In all models, receipt of the other vaccines was a significant predictor for vaccine administration. The other factor associated with influenza vaccination was non-consumption of alcohol and younger age for herpes zoster vaccination. Conclusions: While there is a high uptake of influenza vaccines, there is a low uptake of both pneumococcal and herpes zoster vaccines in residents of aged care facilities. Further research into the barriers and enablers of vaccine uptake should be undertaken, with the goal of increasing the vaccination uptake in this vulnerable population.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines13070766","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]],"date-time":"2025-07-21T10:35:31Z","timestamp":1753094131000},"page":"766","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Vaccination in Aged Care in Australia: A Retrospective Study of Influenza, Herpes Zoster, and Pneumococcal Vaccination"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-4915-5518","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Stephen","family":"Wiblin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd., Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuen","family":"Lai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd., Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0893-3983","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natalie","family":"Soulsby","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Embedded Health Solutions, Melbourne, VIC 3194, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jodie","family":"Hillen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e060407","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-060407","article-title":"Protocol on establishing a prospective enhanced surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases in residential aged care facilities in Central Queensland, Australia: An observational study","volume":"12","author":"Hashan","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5463","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vaccine.2016.09.039","article-title":"Equity in disease prevention: Vaccines for the older adults\u2014A national workshop, Australia 2014","volume":"34","author":"MacIntyre","year":"2016","journal-title":"Vaccine"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3081","DOI":"10.1080\/21645515.2020.1754702","article-title":"Early impact of the Australian national shingles vaccination program with the herpes zoster live attenuated vaccine","volume":"16","author":"Litt","year":"2020","journal-title":"Hum. Vaccines Immunother."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"World Health Organization Immunization Agenda 2030. Available online: https:\/\/cdn.who.int\/media\/docs\/default-source\/immunization\/strategy\/ia2030\/ia2030-draft-4-wha_b8850379-1fce-4847-bfd1-5d2c9d9e32f8.pdf?sfvrsn=5389656e_69&download=true;%202020."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Department of Health and Aged Care National Immunisation Program Schedule, Available online: https:\/\/www.health.gov.au\/topics\/immunisation\/when-to-get-vaccinated\/national-immunisation-program-schedule."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Department of Health and Aged Care Australian Immunisation Handbook, Available online: https:\/\/immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au\/."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"517","DOI":"10.1071\/PY15119","article-title":"Trends in general practitioner services to residents in aged care","volume":"22","author":"Hillen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Aust. J. Prim. Health"},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Services Australia Australian Immunisation Register. What the register is, Available online: https:\/\/www.servicesaustralia.gov.au\/what-australian-immunisation-register?context=22436."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Department of Health and Aged Care Using the Australian Immunisation Register, Available online: https:\/\/www.health.gov.au\/topics\/immunisation\/immunisation-information-for-health-professionals\/using-the-australian-immunisation-register#mandatory-reporting."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Hull, B., Hendry, A., Dey, A., Macartney, K., McIntyre, P., and Beard, F. (2019). Exploratory Analysis of the First 2 Years of Adult Vaccination Data Recorded on AIR, National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS)."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6329","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vaccine.2019.09.021","article-title":"Prevalence and predictors of influenza vaccination among residents of long-term care facilities","volume":"37","author":"Tan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Vaccine"},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Wiblin, S., and Soulsby, N. (2025, January 10\u201312). Vaccination in aged care: A study of influenza, zoster & pneumococcal vaccination. Proceedings of the Communicable Diseases & Immunisation Conference, Adelaide, South Australia."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.4161\/hv.3.3.3925","article-title":"Predictors of pneumococcal vaccination uptake in hospitalized patients aged 65 years and over shortly following the commencement of a publicly funded national pneumococcal vaccination program in Australia","volume":"3","author":"Ridda","year":"2007","journal-title":"Hum. Vaccin."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"965","DOI":"10.1080\/21645515.2019.1682844","article-title":"Pneumococcal vaccination uptake among patients aged 65 years or over in Australian general practice","volume":"16","author":"Frank","year":"2020","journal-title":"Hum. Vaccin. Immunother."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"k3532","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.k3532","article-title":"The reporting of studies conducted using observational routinely collected health data statement for pharmacoepidemiology (RECORD-PE)","volume":"363","author":"Langan","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"253","DOI":"10.1016\/j.idh.2023.03.005","article-title":"An evaluation of influenza, pneumococcal and herpes zoster vaccination coverage in Australian aged care residents, 2018 to 2022","volume":"28","author":"Bennett","year":"2023","journal-title":"Infect. Dis. Health"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2333721419870345","DOI":"10.1177\/2333721419870345","article-title":"Determinants of Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Uptake Among the Elderly in the United States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","volume":"5","author":"Okoli","year":"2019","journal-title":"Gerontol. Geriatr. Med."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e057517","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-057517","article-title":"Prevalence and predictors of influenza vaccination in long-term care homes: A cross-national retrospective observational study","volume":"12","author":"Mulla","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lorini, C., Collini, F., Gasparini, F., Paolini, D., Grazzini, M., Ierardi, F., Galletti, G., Zanobini, P., Gemmi, F., and Bonaccorsi, G. (2020). Health Literacy, Vaccine Confidence and Influenza Vaccination Uptake among Nursing Home Staff: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted in Tuscany. Vaccines, 8.","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines8020154"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"224","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ypmed.2014.10.017","article-title":"Factors affecting the uptake of vaccination by the elderly in Western society","volume":"69","author":"Eilers","year":"2014","journal-title":"Prev. Med."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"67","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2017.12.007","article-title":"Factors influencing seasonal influenza vaccination behaviour among elderly people: A systematic review","volume":"156","author":"Kan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Public Health"},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019). The Burden of Vaccine Preventable Diseases in Australia, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Watson, E., Rajkhowa, A., Dunt, D., Bull, A., Worth, L.J., and Bennett, N. (2024). Evaluation of an Infection surveillance program in residential aged care facilities in Victoria, Australia. BMC Public Health, 24.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-17482-x"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.4236\/health.2013.512A011","article-title":"Elderly vaccination\u2014The glass is half full","volume":"05","author":"MacIntyre","year":"2013","journal-title":"Health"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"640","DOI":"10.5694\/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06129.x","article-title":"Influenza outbreaks in aged-care facilities: Staff vaccination and the emerging use of antiviral therapy","volume":"180","author":"Guy","year":"2004","journal-title":"Med. J. Aust."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1968","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vaccine.2020.01.004","article-title":"Influenza vaccine coverage and predictors of vaccination among aged care workers in Sydney Australia","volume":"38","author":"Lai","year":"2020","journal-title":"Vaccine"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.1111\/ajag.12611","article-title":"Pharmacist-led influenza vaccination services in residential aged care homes: A pilot study","volume":"38","author":"McDerby","year":"2019","journal-title":"Australas. J. Ageing"},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"CD005187","article-title":"Influenza vaccination for healthcare workers who care for people aged 60 or older living in long-term care institutions","volume":"2016","author":"Thomas","year":"2016","journal-title":"Cochrane. Database. Syst. Rev."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"To, T., Estrabillo, E., Wang, C., and Cicutto, L. (2008). Examining intra-rater and inter-rater response agreement: A medical chart abstraction study of a community-based asthma care program. BMC Med. Res. Methodol., 8.","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-8-29"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.33321\/cdi.2021.45.10","article-title":"Influenza vaccination uptake in Australia in 2020: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic?","volume":"45","author":"Beard","year":"2021","journal-title":"Commun. Dis. Intell."}],"container-title":["Vaccines"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-393X\/13\/7\/766\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T18:12:54Z","timestamp":1760033574000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-393X\/13\/7\/766"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,20]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7]]}},"alternative-id":["vaccines13070766"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/vaccines13070766","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-393X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-393X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,20]]}}}