H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccination of U.S. healthcare personnel, 2010

Rural, urban, and suburban differences in influenza vaccination coverage among children

Influenza vaccination is the primary way to prevent influenza, yet influenza vaccination coverage remains low in the United States. Previous studies have shown that children residing in rural areas have less access to healthcare and lower vaccination coverage for some vaccines. Influenza vaccination coverage among children 6 months-17 years by rural/urban residence during the 2011-12 through 2018-19 influenza seasons was examined using National Immunization Survey-Flu data. The Council of American Survey Research Organizations response rates for National Immunization Survey-Flu ranged from 48% to 65% (2011-12 through the 2017-18 seasons) for the landline sample and 20%-39% (2011-12 through the 2018-19 seasons) for the cellular telephone sample. Children residing in rural areas had influenza vaccination coverage that ranged from 7.9 (2012-13 season) to 12.6 (2016-17 season) percentage points lower than children residing in urban areas, and ranged from 4.5 (2012-13 season) to 7.4 (2016-17 season) percentage points lower than children residing in suburban areas. The differences in influenza vaccination coverage among rural, suburban, and urban children were consistent over the eight seasons studied. Lower influenza vaccination coverage was observed among rural children regardless of child's age, mother's education, household income, or number of children under 18 years of age in the household. Rural versus urban and suburban differences in influenza vaccination coverage remained statistically significant while adjusting for selected sociodemographic characteristics. A better understanding of the reasons for lower childhood influenza vaccination coverage for children in rural and suburban areas is needed.

Influenza vaccination coverage among adults with diabetes, United States, 2007-08 through 2017-18 seasons

BACKGROUND

Diabetes is associated with higher risk of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality from influenza. We assessed influenza vaccination coverage among adults aged ≥ 18 years with diabetes during the 2007-08 through 2017-18 influenza seasons and identified factors independently associated with vaccination during the 2017-18 season.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the 2007-2018 National Health Interview Surveys, using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to estimate season-specific influenza vaccination coverage. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to examine whether diabetes was independently associated with self-reported influenza vaccination in the past 12 months and identify factors independently associated with vaccination among adults with diabetes using the 2017-18 data.

RESULTS

During the 2007-08 through 2017-18 influenza seasons, influenza vaccination coverage among adults aged ≥ 18 years with diabetes ranged from 62.6% to 64.8%. In the 2017-18 influenza season, coverage was significantly higher among adults with diabetes (64.8%) compared with those without diabetes (43.9%). Having diabetes was independently associated with an increased prevalence of vaccination after controlling for other factors. Among adults with diabetes, living at or above poverty level, having more physician contacts, having usual place for health care, and being unemployed were independently associated with increased prevalence of vaccination; being 18-64 years and non-Hispanic black were independently associated with decreased prevalence of vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite specific recommendations for influenza vaccination among people with diabetes, more than one-third of adults with diabetes are unvaccinated. Targeted efforts are needed to increase influenza vaccination coverage among adults with diabetes.

The association between influenza vaccination and socioeconomic status in high income countries varies by the measure used: a systematic review

Background

The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the literature on the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and influenza immunization and to examine how certain measures of SES may influence interpretations of this relationship.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of existing peer-reviewed literature to evaluate the above relationship in the general population. Electronic databases (MEDLINE and EMBASE) were searched from January 2012 to May 2017 to identify English-language studies relevant to this review. Studies were included where influenza vaccination was explicitly reported as the dependent variable and SES as the independent variable. We limited our review to measures of SES that focus on education, income, social class, occupation, and deprivation. Studies that measured SES using other variables (e.g., race, ethnicity, geographic location, rural or urban status, or insurance status) were excluded. Studies were also excluded if they did not report on the human population or did not analyze original data. The population of interest included all age groups, levels of health status, and sociodemographic backgrounds. The review was also limited to World Bank high-income countries. Two authors independently screened full-text articles after obtaining a Kappa score of K = 0.867. The methodological quality of manuscripts was assessed using the appraisal tools developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Results were qualitatively reported and synthesized.

Results

Of the 42 articles included in this review, 52.4% (n = 22) found that higher levels of SES resulted in higher levels of influenza vaccination; 4.5% (n = 2) reported a negative association; and 14.3% (n = 6) found no association. Just over a quarter (26.2%, n = 12) of articles reported mixed results.

Conclusions

There was consistently a relationship between SES and influenza immunization, which varied according to how SES was measured. It is recommended that authors be explicit in defining the SES concept they are trying to capture and that they utilize multiple measures of SES (e.g., education, income, class).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12874-019-0801-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Vaccination differences among U.S. adults by their self-identified sexual orientation, National Health Interview Survey, 2013-2015

Introduction

Very few studies have explored the associations between self-identified sexual orientation and comprehensive vaccination coverage. Most of the previous studies that reported health disparities among lesbian, gay and bisexual populations were not based on a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, limiting the generalizability of the findings. Starting in 2013, the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) included questions to ascertain the adult’s self-identified sexual orientation that allowed national level vaccination estimation by sexual orientation. This study examined associations of self-reported vaccination coverage for selected vaccines among U.S. adults by their sexual orientation.

Methods

We analyzed combined data from 2013–2015 NHIS, a nationally representative probability-based health survey of the noninstitutionalized U.S. population ≥18 years. For vaccines other than influenza, weighted proportions were calculated. Influenza coverage was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier procedure. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted prevalence differences for each vaccine overall and stratified by sexual orientation and to identify factors independently associated with vaccination.

Results

Significant differences were observed by sexual orientation for self-reported receipt of human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis A (HepA), hepatitis B (HepB), and influenza vaccination. Bisexual females (51.6%) had higher HPV coverage than heterosexual females (40.2%). Gay males (40.3% and 53.6%, respectively) had higher HepA and HepB coverage than heterosexual males (25.4% and 32.6%, respectively). Bisexual females (33.9% and 58.5%, respectively) had higher HepA and HepB coverage than heterosexual females (23.5% and 38.4%, respectively) and higher HepB coverage than lesbian females (45.4%). Bisexual adults (34.1%) had lower influenza coverage than gay/lesbian (48.5%) and heterosexual adults (43.8%). Except for the association of having self-identified as gay/lesbian orientation with greater likelihood of HepA, HepB, and influenza vaccination, sexual orientation was not associated with higher or lower likelihood of vaccination. Health status or other behavioral characteristics studied had no consistent relationship with vaccination among all populations.

Conclusion

Differences were identified in vaccination coverage among the U.S. adult population by self-reported sexual orientation. This study is the first to assess associations of sexual orientation with a comprehensive list of vaccinations. Findings from this study can serve as a baseline for monitoring changes over time. All populations could benefit from improved vaccination.

Parental-Reported Full Influenza Vaccination Coverage of Children in the U.S

INTRODUCTION

Depending upon influenza vaccination history, children aged 6 months-8 years need one or two doses of influenza vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated. The objectives of this study were to quantify the percentage of children aged 6 months-8 years who were fully vaccinated against influenza based on parental report, overall, by state, and by sociodemographic characteristics, and to examine sociodemographic characteristics associated with being fully vaccinated.

METHODS

Data from the National Immunization Survey-Flu for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 influenza seasons were analyzed in 2015 using the Kaplan-Meier method to produce vaccination coverage estimates. Wald chi-square tests were used to test for bivariate associations, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to test for demographic characteristics independently associated with the child being fully vaccinated.

RESULTS

The percentages of children aged 6 months-8 years who were fully vaccinated during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 influenza seasons were 41.0% and 45.2%, respectively. Full vaccination varied widely by state and was more likely for children requiring only one dose. Based on the statistical models, children likely to be fully vaccinated were older, non-black, had a mother with an education >12 years, or lived in a high-income household.

CONCLUSIONS

Most children in the U.S. are not fully vaccinated against influenza. Reminder systems and interventions that reduce or remove barriers to children receiving their second doses of influenza vaccine may improve full influenza vaccination coverage among all children.

Barriers of Influenza Vaccination Intention and Behavior - A Systematic Review of Influenza Vaccine Hesitancy, 2005 - 2016

BACKGROUND

Influenza vaccine hesitancy is a significant threat to global efforts to reduce the burden of seasonal and pandemic influenza. Potential barriers of influenza vaccination need to be identified to inform interventions to raise awareness, influenza vaccine acceptance and uptake.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to (1) identify relevant studies and extract individual barriers of seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccination for risk groups and the general public; and (2) map knowledge gaps in understanding influenza vaccine hesitancy to derive directions for further research and inform interventions in this area.

METHODS

Thirteen databases covering the areas of Medicine, Bioscience, Psychology, Sociology and Public Health were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between the years 2005 and 2016. Following the PRISMA approach, 470 articles were selected and analyzed for significant barriers to influenza vaccine uptake or intention. The barriers for different risk groups and flu types were clustered according to a conceptual framework based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and discussed using the 4C model of reasons for non-vaccination.

RESULTS

Most studies were conducted in the American and European region. Health care personnel (HCP) and the general public were the most studied populations, while parental decisions for children at high risk were under-represented. This study also identifies understudied concepts. A lack of confidence, inconvenience, calculation and complacency were identified to different extents as barriers to influenza vaccine uptake in risk groups.

CONCLUSION

Many different psychological, contextual, sociodemographic and physical barriers that are specific to certain risk groups were identified. While most sociodemographic and physical variables may be significantly related to influenza vaccine hesitancy, they cannot be used to explain its emergence or intensity. Psychological determinants were meaningfully related to uptake and should therefore be measured in a valid and comparable way. A compendium of measurements for future use is suggested as supporting information.

Seasonal influenza vaccination in pregnant women: knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in Italy

Background

The aims of this study were to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards seasonal influenza and its vaccination among pregnant women.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was carried out among a sample of women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy in Italy.

Results

The 64.2% of the sample knew that the influenza is more dangerous for pregnant women. Women of older age, Italian, and who had a pregnancy at high-risk were more likely to have this knowledge. This knowledge was lower among women with none, primary or secondary school education. The majority of the respondents considered the vaccine not very useful during pregnancy. Those younger, unmarried, who knew that influenza is more dangerous for pregnant women, who knew that the vaccine could protect them, who reported a higher self-rated health status, and who had received information about influenza and its vaccination were more likely to have a positive attitude toward the usefulness of influenza vaccination in pregnancy. Women with secondary school education and with more than one child revealed a lower perception. Only 9.7% had received the vaccine and 21.4% of those unvaccinated would be willing to receive it. This positive attitude was higher among women with one child, who knew that the vaccine could protect them against the influenza, and who have a positive attitude toward the usefulness of the vaccination during pregnancy.

Conclusions

Health educational programs are needed to improve the knowledge about seasonal influenza and vaccination rate in pregnancy.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-016-2138-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Vaccination of healthcare workers: A review

Vaccine-preventable diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. As new vaccines are proving to be effective and as the incidence of some infections decreases, vaccination practices are changing. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are particularly exposed to and play a role in nosocomial transmission, which makes them an important target group for vaccination. Most vaccine-preventable diseases still carry a significant risk of resurgence and have caused outbreaks in recent years. While many professional societies favor vaccination of HCWs as well as the general population, recommendations differ from country to country. In turn, vaccination coverage varies widely for each microorganism and for each country, making hospitals and clinics vulnerable to outbreaks. Vaccine mandates and non-mandatory strategies are the subject of ongoing research and controversies. Optimal approaches to increase coverage and turn the healthcare workforce into an efficient barrier against infectious diseases are still being debated.

Uptake of Influenza Vaccination and Missed Opportunities Among Adults with High-Risk Conditions, United States, 2013

BACKGROUND

Since 1960, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended influenza vaccination for adults with certain high-risk conditions because of increased risk for complications from influenza infection. We assessed national influenza vaccination among persons ages 18-64 years with high-risk conditions.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the 2012 and 2013 National Health Interview Survey. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis procedure was used to estimate the cumulative proportion of influenza vaccination among adults ages 18-64 years with high-risk conditions. Potential missed opportunities for influenza vaccination were also evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression and predictive marginal analyses were conducted to identify factors independently associated with vaccination.

RESULTS

Overall, 39.9 million adults ages 18-64 years (18.9%) had at least one high-risk condition. For adults ages 18-64 years with high-risk conditions, overall influenza vaccination coverage was 49.5%. Coverage among adults 50-64 years of age was significantly higher compared with those ages 18-49 years (59.3% vs 39.0%; P <.05). Among adults ages 18-64 years, coverage was 46.2% for those with chronic lung diseases, 50.5% for those with heart disease, 58.0% for those with diabetes, 62.5% for those with renal disease, and 56.4% for those with cancer. Overall, 90.1% reported at least one visit to a health care setting where vaccination could have been provided. Among adults ages 18-64 years with high-risk conditions, older age, being female, Hispanic ethnicity or Asian race, having one or more physician visits, a regular physician for health care, health insurance, and having ever received pneumococcal vaccination were independently associated with a higher likelihood of influenza vaccination. Being widowed/divorced/separated or never married and not being employed were independently associated with a lower likelihood of influenza vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Influenza vaccination coverage varies substantially by age and high-risk conditions but remains low. Approximately 50% of those with high-risk conditions remain unvaccinated. Health care providers should ensure they routinely assess influenza vaccination status, and recommend and offer vaccines to those with high-risk conditions.

The Impact of Vaccine Concerns on Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Influenza Vaccine Uptake Among Health Care Workers

OBJECTIVES

We explored whether collective concerns about the safety, effectiveness, and necessity of influenza vaccines mediate racial/ethnic disparities in vaccine uptake among health care workers (HCWs).

METHODS

We used a self-administered Web-based survey to assess race/ethnicity (exposure), concerns about influenza vaccination (mediator; categorized through latent class analysis), and influenza vaccine uptake (outcome) for the 2012 to 2013 influenza season among HCWs at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. We used mediation analysis to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the total, direct, and indirect effects of race/ethnicity on influenza vaccine uptake.

RESULTS

Non-Hispanic Blacks had lower influenza vaccine uptake than non-Hispanic Whites (total effect: PR = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.75, 0.99), largely mediated by high concern about influenza vaccines (natural indirect effect: PR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.84, 0.94; controlled direct effect: PR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.85, 1.1). Hispanic and Asian HCWs had modestly lower uptake than non-Hispanic Whites, also mediated by high concern about influenza vaccines.

CONCLUSIONS

Racial/ethnic disparities among HCWs could be attenuated if concerns about the safety, effectiveness, and necessity of influenza vaccines were reduced.

Influenza vaccination coverage of Vaccine for Children (VFC)-entitled versus privately insured children, United States, 2011-2013

BACKGROUND

The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccines at no cost to children who are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN), or underinsured and vaccinated at Federally Qualified Health Centers or Rural Health Clinics. The objective of this study was to compare influenza vaccination coverage of VFC-entitled to privately insured children in the United States, nationally, by state, and by selected socio-demographic variables.

METHODS

Data from the National Immunization Survey-Flu (NIS-Flu) surveys were analyzed for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 influenza seasons for households with children 6 months-17 years. VFC-entitlement and private insurance status were defined based upon questions asked of the parent during the telephone interview. Influenza vaccination coverage estimates of children VFC-entitled versus privately insured were compared by t-tests, both nationally and within state, and within selected socio-demographic variables.

RESULTS

For both seasons studied, influenza coverage for VFC-entitled children did not significantly differ from coverage for privately insured children (2011-2012: 52.0%±1.9% versus 50.7%±1.2%; 2012-2013: 56.0%±1.6% versus 57.2%±1.2%). Among VFC-entitled children, uninsured children had lower coverage (2011-2012: 38.9%±4.7%; 2012-2013: 44.8%±3.5%) than Medicaid-eligible (2011-2012: 55.2%±2.1%; 2012-2013: 58.6%±1.9%) and AI/AN children (2011-2012: 54.4%±11.3%; 2012-2013: 54.6%±7.0%). Significant differences in vaccination coverage among VFC-entitled and privately insured children were observed within some subgroups of race/ethnicity, income, age, region, and living in a metropolitan statistical area principle city.

CONCLUSIONS

Although finding few differences in influenza vaccination coverage among VFC-entitled versus privately insured children was encouraging, nearly half of all children were not vaccinated for influenza and coverage was particularly low among uninsured children. Additional public health interventions are needed to ensure that more children are vaccinated such as a strong recommendation from health care providers, utilization of immunization information systems, provider reminders, standing orders, and community-based interventions such as educational activities and expanded access to vaccination services.

A comprehensive review of influenza and influenza vaccination during pregnancy

Influenza is a highly infectious respiratory disease that can impose significant health risks leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Receiving influenza vaccination is the most important and effective means of preventing the infection and its related complications. During pregnancy, physiological changes increase susceptibility to influenza infection, and women contracting infectious diseases during pregnancy are more likely to have adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Influenza vaccination during pregnancy is safe for both pregnant women and their fetus, and pregnant women are now the highest priority group for vaccination. Despite the accumulated evidence of the benefits and safety of influenza vaccination during pregnancy, uptake among pregnant women remains suboptimal. Concerns about the vaccine's safety persist, and the fear of birth defects remains the predominant barrier to vaccination. Targeted interventions have been shown effective in enhancing influenza vaccination uptake among pregnant women. Reluctance to be vaccinated should be addressed by offering accurate information to counteract the misperceptions about the risk of influenza infection during pregnancy as well as to educate mothers about the safety and benefits of influenza vaccination. High-quality randomized controlled trials are recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of individual or multifaceted approaches to increase vaccine uptake.

General influenza infection control policies and practices during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic: a survey of women's health, obstetric, and neonatal nurses

BACKGROUND

An evaluation of infection control practices was conducted following the release of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance regarding the care of pregnant women during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. This paper describes 9 general hospital practices.

METHODS

A questionnaire was distributed electronically to 12,612 members of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). Respondents (N = 2,304) who reported working in obstetric or neonatal settings during the pandemic completed the questionnaire.

RESULTS

Most (73%) respondents considered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance very useful. Significantly more reported a written hospital policy for each practice during versus before the pandemic. Six of the 9 practices were implemented most of the time by at least 70% of respondents; the practices least often implemented were mandatory vaccination of health care personnel involved (52%) and not involved (34%) in direct patient care and offering vaccination to close contacts of newborns prior to discharge (22%). The most consistent factor associated with implementation was the presence of a written policy supporting the practice at the respondent's hospital.

CONCLUSION

We offer a descriptive account of general hospital infection control policies and practices during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Factors associated with reported implementation may be useful to inform planning to protect women and children for future public health emergencies.

Barriers and facilitators to influenza vaccination and vaccine coverage in a cohort of health care personnel

BACKGROUND

Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for health care personnel (HCP). We describe influenza vaccination coverage among HCP during the 2010-2011 season and present reported facilitators of and barriers to vaccination.

METHODS

We enrolled HCP 18 to 65 years of age, working full time, with direct patient contact. Participants completed an Internet-based survey at enrollment and the end of influenza season. In addition to self-reported data, we collected information about the 2010-2011 influenza vaccine from electronic employee health and medical records.

RESULTS

Vaccination coverage was 77% (1,307/1,701). Factors associated with higher vaccination coverage include older age, being married or partnered, working as a physician or dentist, prior history of influenza vaccination, more years in patient care, and higher job satisfaction. Personal protection was reported as the most important reason for vaccination followed closely by convenience, protection of patients, and protection of family and friends. Concerns about perceived vaccine safety and effectiveness and low perceived susceptibility to influenza were the most commonly reported barriers to vaccination. About half of the unvaccinated HCP said they would have been vaccinated if required by their employer.

CONCLUSION

Influenza vaccination in this cohort was relatively high but still fell short of the recommended target of 90% coverage for HCP. Addressing concerns about vaccine safety and effectiveness are possible areas for future education or intervention to improve coverage among HCP.