Understanding influenza vaccination rates and reasons for refusal in caregivers and household contacts of cancer patients

Highlights • Influenza vaccination has limited efficacy in cancer patients. • Caregiver and family vaccination is recommended for high-risk patients. • Distance, age, and limited time decreased vaccine uptake in caregivers and family. • Efforts targeting vaccination for caregivers and family of cancer patients are needed.

Cancer patients are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality from seasonal influenza but are known to respond poorly to influenza vaccination. This single-center survey suggests that approximately one-third of cancer patients and their caregivers and family did not receive the vaccine in the prior season. Patients felt strongly that caregiver vaccination was important, whereas caregivers' decisions did not appear to be affected by the patients' disease.