Health interventions: health services

Percentage of persons aged 65 and older reporting to have been vaccinated against influenza (brand name of vaccine to be verified in each country) during the last 12 months, derived from EHIS questions PA.1, PA.2 and PA.3. PA.1: Have you ever been vaccinated against flu? 1. Yes / 2. No; PA.2: When were you last time vaccinated against flu? 1. Since the beginning of this year / 2. Last year / 3. Before last year PA.3: Can I just check, what month was that? Month (01-12). EHIS data will not be age standardized.

Relevant dimensions and subgroups

Country
Calendar year
Sex
Age group (65+)
Socio-economic status (educational level. ISCED 3 aggregated groups: 0-2; 3+4; 5+6)

Preferred data type and data source

Preferred data type

HIS

Preferred data source

Eurostat (EHIS)

Data availability

BE, BG, CZ, DE, EE, EL, ES, FR, IT, CY, LV, HU, MT, AT, PL, RO, SI, SK, CH, NO and TR conducted a first wave of EHIS between 2006 and 2010. It is noted that not in all of these countries a full scale survey was carried out; in some only specific modules were applied, in others the full questionnaire was applied in a small pilot sample. It is expected that all EU Member States will conduct EHIS in the second wave, which is planned for 2014. The results of the first wave are expected to be published in two stages, 11 countries in October 2010, the remaining countries in April 2011. EHIS data are available by sex, 8 age groups (15-24/25-34/35-44/45-54/55-64/65-74/75-84/85+) and ISCED groups.

Data periodicity

EHIS will be conducted once every 5 years. The first wave took place in 2007/2010 (with some derogations in 2006) and the second wave is planned for 2014.

Rationale

Influenza vaccination in elderly is important for reducing the disease burden of influenza, including mortality.

Remarks

This indicator is also one of the OECD Health Care Quality Indicators, and one of the Health and Long Term Care Indictors of the Social Protection Committee.
According to current plans, Eurostat will probably not age-standardize EHIS data. For comparability reasons ECHIM would however prefer age-standardized data.
A recall period of 12 months is used to cover one influenza season.
The number of people called to receive a vaccination within a vaccination programme will differ from the number of people actually getting a vaccination. People may refuse to be vaccinated or may be unable/not fit enough to receive a vaccination. The definition applied here only refers to those elderly who actually received a vaccination.
The above definition and calculation are based on the first version of the EHIS questionnaire, as used in the first EHIS wave (2007/2010). The EHIS questionnaire will be revised, hence adaptations to the EHIS question underlying this indicator may occur in the second wave (planned for 2014).
The legal basis for EHIS is regulation (EC) No 1338/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work. This is an umbrella regulation. Specific implementing acts will define the details of the statistics Member States have to deliver to Eurostat. An implementing act on EHIS is expected to come into force in 2014.

References

Work to do

Monitor EHIS/Eurostat developments

European Commission - Public Health: healthindicators.org

Definition

Calculation