A quick access to information on influenza burden and prevention in Lyon university hospital: A prospective QR code-based information campaign in 2022-2023.

BACKGROUND

Influenza vaccines are effective in decreasing hospitalizations and mortality related to influenza and its complications. However, the Vaccine Coverage Rate of influenza remains low and multifaceted efforts are required to improve it. The aim of this study was to assess the impact on influenza vaccine perception using a digital tool among outpatients and health care workers (HCWs).

METHODS

A study was performed among outpatients and the HCWs of 23 hospital departments from 4 hospitals affiliated to Lyon university Hospitals (France), between October 2022 and February 2023. By scanning QR (Quick Response) codes, displayed on posters for patients, their companions, as well as in the letters sent to HCWs, users accessed anonymously to a web-application (ELEFIGHT®), which provided information on influenza and invited them to initiate a discussion on influenza prevention with their physicians during the consultation. Patients were also invited to complete a questionnaire regarding their perception of influenza vaccination before and after reading the information on ELEFIGHT®. The retention rate (RR = proportion of people who remain on the page for >2 s), the conversion rate (CR = proportion of people who click on the "Call-To-Action" button) and the absolute variation (difference in the perception before/after) and relative variation (absolute change as a percentage of the initial perception) in perception regarding influenza vaccination before and after consulting the application were calculated.

RESULTS

3791 scans were performed by 3298 patients and/or their companions with a RR of 52% and a CR of 55.1% and 253 scans by 221 HCWs with a RR of 71.2% and a CR of 115.3%. Participants spent an average of 47 s on the application. The questionnaire on influenza vaccination perception was completed by 1533 participants (46.5%); 1390 (90.7%) maintained the same position (neutral, favorable or unfavorable) on this vaccination before and after consulting the application. The relative variations in favor of vaccination were + 7.2% (unfavorable then favorable) and + 19.8% (neutral then favorable).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that a facilitated direct access to medical information through QR codes disseminated in health settings can help nudge people to foster their awareness of influenza and its prevention. Future deployments in a similar context or to other populations could be envisaged. Other vaccine-preventable and/or chronic diseases could also be the target of similar projects as part of public health programs.

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Nagham Khanafer, Florence Ader, Frédéric Berard, Françoise Bouhour, Roland Chapurlat, Sybil Charriere, Cyrille Confavreux, Gilles Devouassoux, Emmanuel Disse, Jean-Pierre Fauvel, Denis Fouque, Herve Ghesquieres, Sophie Hyvert, Anne Jolivot, Gilles Leboucher, Catherine Lombard, Géraldine Martin-Gaujard, Jean-Francois Mornex, Marc Nicolino, Nathalie Obadia, Gérald Raverot, Philippe Reix, Alain Ruffion, Pascal Seve, Eric Truy, Fabien Zoulim and Philippe Vanhems have no conflicts of interest related to this study to declare. Catherine Planckaert, Rym Bouhalila, Camille Mena and Nadège Trehet Mandel have been mandated and paid by the HCL. Sylvain Oudot, Margot Maligeay, Joséphine Clamens and Marie-Pierre Ayala are employed by Sanofi.