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Evidence suggests that annual influenza vaccination may prevent acute heart failure exacerbation episodes and improve survival.

Determine the influenza vaccination rate among African American patients with heart failure and identify predictors of uptake.

African American patients with heart failure were recruited at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta GA between October 1, 2017 and April 28, 2018 (N = 281). All participants completed a questionnaire.

Mean age of the sample was 50.5 ± 11.5 years (58% male). The influenza vaccination rate among the patients was 46% (n = 129/281). Patients who received vaccination information and recommendation from their physician, especially cardiologists, were significantly more likely to be vaccinated than those who did not (P<0.05). Major reasons for declining vaccination included fear of getting sick from influenza vaccine and distrust …