QIM 6: Proportion of regular clients with COPD with an influenza immunisation status recorded in their GP record within the previous 15 months
Influenza is a common disease of the respiratory tract. It affects people of all ages. It is estimated that influenza is likely to be associated with more than 3,000 deaths and 13,500 hospitalisations each year in Australia, just in people aged >50 years (ATAGI 2018).
There are a number of groups who are at a higher risk of influenza and its complications. These groups experience higher illness and death associated with influenza than the rest of the population and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the vulnerable population groups. Therefore, annual influenza vaccination is strongly recommended for patients with COPD (ATAGI 2018).
People with COPD are considered to be at high risk of complications from influenza. Data from several studies also provide evidence that influenza vaccination has a clinically important protective effect on influenza-related COPD exacerbations, and probably an effect on the total number of exacerbations in COPD patients. The administration of the influenza vaccine to people at risk of complications is the single most important measure in preventing or attenuating influenza infection and preventing mortality. While best practice guidelines recommend annual immunisation, a 15-month interval allows for cases when a client decides to receive a vaccine earlier than recommended (for example, from a pharmacy), or delay and wait for the release of an ‘enhanced’ vaccine (Department of Health 2020b).
Capture of results recorded outside of the general practice setting
Some patients with COPD may receive care from other practitioners in addition to a GP, including a specialist physician, and/or other health care providers to safely manage their COPD (Abramson et al. 2014). Results arising from clinical intervention conducted outside of the service that are known and recorded by the practice are included in the measure. Where immunisation was provided elsewhere but is not known to the practice, this is not captured in the report. For example, this might be where the vaccination providers’ information systems may not be compatible with the clinical information system of the client’s usual general practice.
Other sources of relevant data
Data on prevalence of long-term health conditions like COPD are captured in the National Health Survey (NHS) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). There are other administrative data collections where data on influenza immunisation are captured, for example, the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
This indicator reports on the proportion of regular clients aged 15 years and over with a COPD diagnosis, and who had an influenza immunisation status recorded in their GP record within the previous 15 months.
QIM 6: Regional proportions
As of July 2022, nationally, 63.8% of regular clients aged 15 years and over with a COPD diagnosis had an influenza immunisation status recorded in their GP record within the previous 15 months. This varied between 48.5% and 73.0% across PHNs.