Canadian National Vaccine Safety Network (CANVAS) Surveillance of Adverse Events Following Immunization among Children and Adults Immunized with the Influenza Vaccine: Evaluating the use of a mobile app platform for Vaccine Safety Reporting. A Canadian Immunization Research Network Study (Preprint)

Abstract

Vaccine safety surveillance is a core component of vaccine pharmacovigilance. In Canada, active, participant-centred vaccine surveillance is available for influenza vaccines and has been used for COVID vaccines.

The purpose of this study was to pilot the use a mobile immunization app augmented for safety reporting during the annual influenza vaccine campaign.

Participants were randomized to influenza vaccine safety reporting via a mobile app or an online survey. All participants were invited to complete a user experience survey.

Among the 2,485 randomized participants, 1,319 (54%) completed their safety survey one week after vaccination, with a higher completion rate among the online survey users (n=767/1,196, 64%) compared to mobile app users (n=552/1,212, 45%, p<0.0001). Ease of use ratings were high for online users (99% strongly agree or agree) and 88.8% strongly agreed or agreed that the system made reporting AEFI easier. Online survey users agreed the online survey would make it easier for public health to detect vaccine safety signals (91.4%, agreed or strongly agreed).

Participants in this study were significantly more likely to respond to an online safety survey rather than within a mobile app. These results suggest online surveys may have a lower barrier for use.