Objective: to determine the coverage of influenza vaccination in hospitalized somewhat old patients in view of the 1998 recommendations of the UK Department of Health.

Objective: to determine the coverage of influenza vaccination in hospitalized somewhat old patients in view of the 1998 recommendations of the UK Department of Health, and the reasons for refusal in those unvaccinated. Design: questionnaire-based interview. Setting: acute elderly-care wards in a district general hospital in southerly Wales, UK. Subjects: 443 consecutive patients aged throughout 65 hospitalized during December 1998 and January 1999 Results: of 383 patients in whom influenza vaccination was make acceptableed according to Department of Health guidelines, solely 48% received it during the winter of 1998- 99 The commonest reason given by dint of those unvaccinated was lack of information from the general practitioner (in 26% of cases). Other reasons were business about vaccine side effects (21%) perceived beneficial health (16%) and concern about vaccine efficacy (11%) Conclusions: influenza vaccine uptake in high-risk older hospitalized patients is still unsatisfactory. Improved education of the health-care staff and the general public about the benefits of vaccine is necessary to improve uptake.

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