Examining the barriers of influenza vaccine hesitancy in persons with dementia: a literature review

Despite the proven benefits of vaccine prevention and the continuous development of this important public health measure, vaccine hesitancy is among the top ten threats to global health according to the World Health Organization in 2019. Those who contract the influenza virus will typically develop a mild illness. However, for populations at a higher risk, including those diagnosed with dementia, influenza is proven to be more detrimental. Persons with dementia (PWD) face a serious threat to influenza on an annual basis, and vaccine hesitancy may further potentiate this risk. The purpose of this paper is to explore and understand the barriers PWD face in receiving the influenza vaccine. A literature review was conducted to examine the barriers that prevent PWD from seeking out the annual influenza vaccine. A thematic analysis provided an understanding of the overarching relationships found among the influences between the identified themes. Three main influences were identified: (1) intra-personal, (2) inter-personal, and (3) extra-personal, with each influence containing several subsequent sub-themes. The literature review found that there is a lack of research involving this high-risk population and the barriers they face, especially within the extra-personal influences. Further research is required to understand how each barrier relates and connects with each other. Understanding this connection will aid public health organizations in decreasing the threat of vaccine hesitancy, thus decreasing the incidents of preventable deaths.