A new national poll found that a majority of adults who tried to get the H1N1 vaccine for themselves or their children have been unable to do so.
The poll, which examines the American public's response to the H1N1 vaccine shortage, is the fifth in a series of surveys of public views concerning the H1N1 flu outbreak that the Harvard School of Public Health's Harvard Opinion Research Program has undertaken. The polling was done the weekend of Oct. 30-Nov. 1.
Since the H1N1 flu vaccine became available in October, 17 percent of American adults, 41 percent of parents, and 21 percent of high-priority adults had tried to get it by that time, the poll said.
Among adults who tried to get it for themselves, 30 percent were able to get the vaccine, and 70 percent were unable to get it. Among parents who tried to get the H1N1 vaccine for their children, 34 percent were able to get it, and 66 percent could not.
Among high-priority adults who tried to get the H1N1 vaccine, 34 percent were able to get it, and 66 percent were not.
Parents in this poll include those with children 6 months to younger than 18 years. High-priority adults include adults who live with or care for a child less than 6 months of age, pregnant women, health care and emergency health personnel, and adults 25-64 with health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza, such as asthma or heart disease.
The poll also shows that some people were not able to find information about the location of available H1N1 flu vaccine. About half who tried to find such information (49 percent) were unable to find it.
"These findings suggest that the nationwide H1N1 vaccine shortage is presenting a real challenge for those who have tried to get the vaccine," said Robert J. Blendon, Harvard professor of health policy and political analysis, who co-directed the poll.
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