Objective: To determine patients knowledge, attitude, and practices, who have cardiovascular diseases including heart failure (acute or chronic), coronary artery disease, and peripheral arterial disease, toward influenza vaccination.
Methodology: Based on the semi-structured questionnaire, 384 individuals with age range from 18 to 70 years with heart failure (acute or chronic), coronary artery disease, and peripheral arterial disease were assessed.
Results: Out of 384, 344 patients consented to participate in the survey comprising of 43.6% males and 56.3% females. Those who were aware that Influenza is an illness along with its adverse consequences they or their families might suffer from are only 22 (6.2%), and only 14 (4.1%) are aware of the seriousness of the disease. The number of individuals prescribed vaccine by their physician was 34; with 17 (9.7%) obtaining the vaccine from a hospital, 4 (23.5%) from private clinics and 11 (64.7%) from a family doctor. In the last five years, only 17 (4.9%) people had received the vaccine.
Conclusion: Influenza vaccination rate in patients with cardiovascular diseases is low, which warrant substantial efforts to improve patients and physicians knowledge, attitude, and practice. This has the potential to reduce morbidity, mortality (both cardiovascular and all-cause), recurrent hospitalization, and health-related cost.
Key words: Influenza Vaccine, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, Pakistan.
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