Validation of self-report of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination status in elderly outpatients

Herpes zoster vaccination coverage and factors associated among adults aged 40 and older in China: A population-based survey

OBJECTIVES

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a significant public health issue in China, especially with an aging population and rising incidence. While vaccination effectively prevents HZ and its complications, national data on HZ vaccine (HZV) coverage and associated factors in China are limited.

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide survey across 25 provinces in mainland China, including 14,315 participants aged over 40 years, to estimate HZV uptake and associated factors among adults aged 40 years and older. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess characteristics linked to vaccination, and we analysed vaccine types and dose completion rates.

RESULTS

The HZV uptake rate was 0.79 %. Vaccination was more likely among individuals with middle school education and higher household income. Most vaccinated individuals received the zoster vaccine live (ZVL) rather than the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV), and nearly half completed two doses.

CONCLUSIONS

HZV coverage in China is low, underscoring the need for targeted public health strategies to improve vaccine accessibility and awareness, particularly among at-risk groups, to reduce HZ-related burdens.

Influenza Vaccination Among People With Medicare by Race and Ethnicity, Education, and Rurality

Importance

Influenza vaccination is a safe, effective way to mitigate influenza infection but remains underused by some groups, including older Black and Hispanic adults. There is concern that changing attitudes toward vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic could decrease influenza vaccination rates.

Objective

To examine national patterns of influenza vaccination among older adults with Medicare, including analyses stratified by race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and rurality.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This retrospective, cross-sectional survey study of responses to the 2019 and 2022 Medicare Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveys used cross-sectional analysis for data from a weighted sample of 285 265 community-dwelling Medicare Advantage and Medicare Fee-for-Service enrollees aged 65 years or older living in the 50 US states and Washington, DC, who answered a survey question about influenza immunization.

Exposures

Race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and rurality of survey respondents.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was self-reported influenza vaccination.

Results

The weighted sample combining both years of data for 285 265 individuals included 54.5% women. A total of 4.2% were Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander; 8.0% were Black; 6.9% were Hispanic; and 76.2% were White. Between 2019 and 2022, overall influenza vaccination rates for older adults increased by 0.7 percentage points (95% CI, 0.2-1.1 percentage points), from 76.3% to 77.0%. Whereas influenza vaccination rates for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander older adults (from 81.2% to 83.1%) and White older adults (from 77.7% to 77.9%) were essentially unchanged between 2019 and 2022, they increased by 3.8 percentage points (95% CI, 1.8-5.7 percentage points) for Black older adults (from 66.9% to 70.7%) and 2.3 percentage points (95% CI, 0.5-4.0 percentage points) for Hispanic older adults (from 72.7% to 75.0%). Black and Hispanic older adults living in rural areas had the largest increases during this period (Black, 7.0 percentage points [95% CI, 0.3-13.8 percentage points]; Hispanic, 8.2 percentage points [95% CI, 0.8-15.5 percentage points]), while White older adults with lower educational attainment and/or living in rural areas had decreases in vaccination rates (White with lower educational attainment, -1.9 percentage points [95% CI, -2.8 to -1.0 percentage points]; White living in rural areas, -2.0 percentage points [95% CI, -3.2 to -0.8 percentage points]; White with lower educational attainment and living in rural areas, -3.7 percentage points [95% CI, -5.5 to -1.9 percentage points]).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cross-sectional survey study, although overall influenza vaccination rates changed little from 2019 to 2022, they increased substantially for Black and Hispanic older adults, particularly those in rural areas, and decreased for some groups of White older adults. Determining the reasons for these divergent changes in influenza vaccination rates is a high priority for future research.

The politicization of influenza: partisan changes in flu vaccination before and after COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Democrats are more likely to be vaccinated for COVID-19 than Republicans. It is unknown if political polarization surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine has affected flu vaccine uptake. The purpose of this study is to examine the partisan differences in annual flu vaccine uptake before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This study uses longitudinal panel survey data from the Understanding America Study (UAS), spanning from 2015 to 2024. Using self-reported flu vaccination and partisanship over time, I estimate the odds ratios of flu vaccination for partisan groups before the COVID-19 pandemic, during the pre-vaccination phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and after the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.

RESULTS

In pre-COVID years, the predicted probability of flu vaccination was 0.54 ([0.52,0.56], P < .000) among Republicans and 0.63 ([0.61,0.64], P < .00) among Democrats. After the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine, the average flu vaccination probability was 0.44 ([0.43,0.46], P < .00) among Republicans and 0.61 ([0.59,0.62], P < .00) among Democrats.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the partisan gap in annual flu vaccination. Researchers should continue to investigate if the partisan gap in other types of vaccinations has grown post-COVID. Practitioners may need to tailor their flu vaccine messaging to vaccine-hesitant political demographics.

Factors Associated With Non-vaccination for Influenza Among Patients With CKD: Findings From the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Vaccination for influenza is strongly recommended for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) due to their immunocompromised state. Identifying risk factors for not receiving an influenza vaccine (non-vaccination) could inform strategies for improving vaccine uptake in this high-risk population.

STUDY DESIGN

Longitudinal observational study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

3,692 Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study (CRIC) participants.

EXPOSURE

Demographic factors, social determinants of health, clinical conditions, and health behaviors.

OUTCOME

Influenza non-vaccination, which was assessed based on a receipt of influenza vaccine ascertained during annual clinic visits in a subset of participants who were under nephrology care.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

Mixed-effects Poisson models to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs).

RESULTS

Between 2009 and 2020, the pooled mean vaccine uptake was 72% (mean age, 66 years; 44% female; 44% Black race). In multivariable models, factors significantly associated with influenza non-vaccination were younger age (APR, 2.16 [95% CI, 1.85-2.52] for<50 vs≥75 years), Black race (APR, 1.58 [95% CI, 1.43-1.75] vs White race), lower education (APR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.04-1.39 for less than high school vs college graduate]), lower annual household income (APR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.06-1.49] for <$20,000 vs >$100,000), formerly married status (APR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.09-1.35] vs currently married), and nonemployed status (APR, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.02-1.24] vs employed). In contrast, participants with diabetes (APR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.73-0.87] vs no diabetes), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (APR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.70-0.92] vs no COPD), end-stage kidney disease (APR, 0.64 [0.56 to 0.76] vs estimated glomerular filtration rate≥60mL/min/1.73m2), frailty (APR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.74-0.99] vs no frailty), and ideal physical activity (APR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.82-0.99] vs. physically inactive) were less likely to have non-vaccination status.

LIMITATIONS

Possible residual confounding.

CONCLUSIONS

Among adults with CKD receiving nephrology care, younger adults, Black individuals, and those with adverse social determinants of health were more likely to have the influenza non-vaccination status. Strategies are needed to address these disparities and reduce barriers to vaccination.

PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Identifying risk factors for not receiving an influenza vaccine ("non-vaccination") in people living with kidney disease, who are at risk of influenza and its complications, could inform strategies for improving vaccine uptake. In this study, we examined whether demographic factors, social determinants of health, and clinical conditions were linked to the status of not receiving an influenza vaccine among people living with kidney disease and receiving nephrology care. We found that younger adults, Black individuals, and those with adverse social determinants of health were more likely to not receive the influenza vaccine. These findings suggest the need for strategies to address these disparities and reduce barriers to vaccination in people living with kidney disease.

Association of Visiting the Physiotherapist with Mortality in the Spanish General Population: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective population-based cohort study was to analyse the association between attendance of physiotherapy with mortality in the Spanish general population and describe the profile of people who do not visit a physiotherapist in Spain. Material and Methods: The data sources were the 2011/2012 National Health Survey (ENSE11) and the national database of death in Spain, and the participants were all adult respondents in the ENSE11. Results: Of 20,397 people, 1101 (5.4%) visited the physiotherapist the previous year, and the cumulative incidence of total mortality was 5.4% (n = 1107) at a mean follow-up of 6.2 years. Visiting the physiotherapist was associated with lower all-cause mortality in the population residing in Spain, quantified at 30.1% [RR = 0.699; 95% CI (0.528-0.927); p = 0.013]. The factors associated with not visiting a physiotherapist were the following: rating one's health as good (9.8%; n = 1017; p < 0.001), not having any hospital admission in the previous year (9.6%; n = 1788; p < 0.001), not having visited the general practitioner in the previous month (9.6%; n = 1408; p < 0.001), and not having attended a day hospital in the previous year (9.7%; n = 1836; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Visiting a physiotherapist was associated with a lower mortality from all causes in the population living in Spain.

Increasing Influenza Vaccination Uptake by Sending Reminders: A Representative Cross-Sectional Study on the Preferences of Italian Adults

Evidence from countries that achieved a high seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) coverage suggests that reminders to get vaccinated may increase SIV uptake. The goal of this study was to explore the experience and attitudes of Italian adults toward an active invitation to receive SIV, triggered by different sources and delivered via different communication channels, and to assess the projected benefits of this strategy. A cross-sectional survey on a representative sample of Italian adults was conducted by using computer-assisted web interviewing. Responses from 2513 subjects were analyzed. A total of 52.2% of individuals previously received invitations to undergo SIV and compared with people who did not receive any reminder were three times more likely (68.2% vs. 22.2%) to be vaccinated in the last season. Compared with other sources, reminders sent by general practitioners (GPs) were perceived as the most attractive. As for communication channels, most participants preferred text/instant messaging (24.6%) or email (27.2%), suggesting an acceleration in the Italian digital transformation triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Conversely, traditional postal letters or phone calls were preferred by only 17.0% and 8.6% of respondents, respectively. Reminders sent by GPs via text/instant messages or email are a valuable option for increasing SIV uptake among Italian adults.

Care-seeking correlates of acute respiratory illness among sheltered adults experiencing homelessness in Seattle, WA, 2019: a community-based cross-sectional study

Objective

Multifarious barriers to accessing healthcare services among people experiencing homelessness (PEH) lead to delays in seeking care for acute infections, including those caused by respiratory viruses. PEH are at high risk of acute respiratory illness (ARI)-related complications, especially in shelter settings that may facilitate virus spread, yet data characterizing healthcare utilization for ARI episodes among sheltered PEH remained limited.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of viral respiratory infection among adult residents at two homeless shelters in Seattle, Washington between January and May 2019. We assessed factors associated with seeking medical care for ARI via self-report. We collected illness questionnaires and nasal swabs were tested for respiratory viruses by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR).

Results

We observed 825 encounters from 649 unique participants; 241 (29.2%) encounters reported seeking healthcare for their ARI episode. Seasonal influenza vaccine receipt (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.39, 95% CI 1.02-1.88), having health insurance (aPR 2.77, 95% CI 1.27-6.02), chronic lung conditions (aPR 1.55, 95% CI 1.12-2.15), and experiencing influenza-like-illness symptoms (aPR 1.63, 95% CI 1.20 - 2.20) were associated with increased likelihood of seeking care. Smoking (aPR 0.65, 95% CI 0.45-0.92) was associated with decreased likelihood of seeking care.

Discussion

Findings suggest that care seeking for viral respiratory illness among PEH may be supported by prior engagement with primary healthcare services. Strategies to increase healthcare utilization may lead to earlier detection of respiratory viruses.

Real-world uptake of COVID-19 vaccination among individuals expressing vaccine hesitancy: A registry-linkage study

INTRODUCTION

Uptake of COVID-19 vaccination remains suboptimal in the United States and other settings. Though early reports indicated that a strong majority of people were interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, the association between vaccine intention and uptake is not yet fully understood. Ourobjective was todescribe predictors of vaccine uptake, and estimate the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of self-reported COVID-19 vaccine status compared to a comprehensive statewide COVID-19 vaccine registry.

METHODS

A cohort of California residents that received a molecular test for SARS-CoV-2 infection during 24 February-5 December 2021 were enrolled in a telephone-administered survey. Survey participants were matched with records in a statewide immunization registry. Cox proportional hazards model were used to compare time to vaccination among those unvaccinated at survey enrollment by self-reported COVID-19 vaccination intention.

RESULTS

Among 864 participants who were unvaccinated at the time of interview, 272 (31%) had documentation of receipt of COVID-19 vaccination at a later date; including 194/423 (45.9%) who had initially reported being willing to receive vaccination, 41/185 (22.2%) who reported being unsure about vaccination, and 37/278 (13.3%) who reported unwillingness to receive vaccination.Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for registry-confirmed COVID-19 vaccination were 0.49 (95% confidence interval: 0.32-0.76) and 0.21 (0.12-0.36) for participants expressing uncertainty and unwillingness to receive vaccination, respectively, as compared with participants who reported being willing to receive vaccination. Time to vaccination was shorter among participants from higher-income households (aHR = 3.30 [2.02-5.39]) and who reported co-morbidities or immunocompromising conditions (aHR = 1.54 [1.01-2.36]).Sensitivity of self-reported COVID-19 vaccination status was 82% (80-85%) overall, and 98% (97-99%) among those referencing vaccination records; specificity was 87% (86-89%).

CONCLUSION

Willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination was an imperfect predictor of real-world vaccine uptake. Improved messaging about COVID-19 vaccination regardless of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection status may help improve uptake.

Vaccine uptake in 20 countries in Europe 2020: Focus on tick-borne encephalitis (TBE)

Vaccination as a highly effective measure to protect against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) comes into new focus as known risk areas are expanding across Europe and Asia. Here we present an online household survey conducted in 20 European countries spanning endemic and non-endemic regions of TBE in 2020. With a comprehensive and standardized list of questions, this survey provided a unique opportunity to compare TBE/TBE vaccine awareness, TBE severity perception, vaccine uptake, vaccination completeness/compliance and motivators/barriers for vaccination across Europe. Among the 51,478 participants, tetanus- (72-92%), influenza- (83-98%), and measles-awareness (79-96%) were highest, but awareness was low for Lyme borreliosis, bacterial meningitis and pneumococcal pneumonia. Awareness towards TBE and a TBE vaccine was 74% and 56% in endemic countries, respectively, compared to 30% and 12% in non-endemic countries. Vaccine uptake defined as at least one TBE vaccination was found to be highly heterogenous across both endemic (range 7-81%) and non-endemic countries (range 1-8%). Compliance with the recommended vaccination schedule was 21% for the primary vaccination series and dropped to 7% for the first booster vaccination in endemic countries. The percentage of participants protected against TBE by vaccination at the time of the survey ranged from 21% in Slovakia to 69% in Lithuania. The perception of personal risk or lack thereof was found to be the most influencing factor for and against TBE vaccination. Overall, these data indicate highly heterogenous responses in different European countries regarding not only awareness towards a TBE vaccine, but also regarding TBE vaccine uptake and compliance. Regionally focused strategies to increase diagnostic completeness as well as TBE vaccination are needed across Europe.

Ascertainment of vaccination status by self-report versus source documentation: Impact on measuring COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, self-reported COVID-19 vaccination might facilitate rapid evaluations of vaccine effectiveness (VE) when source documentation (e.g., immunization information systems [IIS]) is not readily available. We evaluated the concordance of COVID-19 vaccination status ascertained by self-report versus source documentation and its impact on VE estimates.

METHODS

Hospitalized adults (≥18 years) admitted to 18 U.S. medical centers March-June 2021 were enrolled, including COVID-19 cases and SARS-CoV-2 negative controls. Patients were interviewed about COVID-19 vaccination. Abstractors simultaneously searched IIS, medical records, and other sources for vaccination information. To compare vaccination status by self-report and documentation, we estimated percent agreement and unweighted kappa with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We then calculated VE in preventing COVID-19 hospitalization of full vaccination (2 doses of mRNA product ≥14 days prior to illness onset) independently using data from self-report or source documentation.

RESULTS

Of 2520 patients, 594 (24%) did not have self-reported vaccination information to assign vaccination group; these patients tended to be more severely ill. Among 1924 patients with both self-report and source documentation information, 95.0% (95% CI: 93.9-95.9%) agreement was observed, with a kappa of 0.9127 (95% CI: 0.9109-0.9145). VE was 86% (95% CI: 81-90%) by self-report data only and 85% (95% CI: 81-89%) by source documentation data only.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one-quarter of hospitalized patients could not provide self-report COVID-19 vaccination status. Among patients with self-report information, there was high concordance with source documented status. Self-report may be a reasonable source of COVID-19 vaccination information for timely VE assessment for public health action.

Multi-tiered intervention to increase maternal immunization coverage: A randomized, controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of a multi-component intervention package of maternal immunization uptake in obstetric care clinics.

METHODS

In a multi-level, cluster- and individually-randomized controlled trial we implemented an evidence-based intervention that targeted practice-, provider- and patient-level barriers to vaccine uptake. Obstetric practices were randomized to receive the practice and provider-level interventions or continue their normal standard of care. We enrolled pregnant women at practices in Georgia and Colorado and randomized women into patient-level intervention and control groups, resulting in four study arms. The primary outcomes were receipt of the influenza and tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines during pregnancy. A sample size of 550 women per arm (2200 total) was planned and enrolled to compare the intervention between the four study arms.

RESULTS

Between June 2017 and July 2018, 4907 women were screened and 2200 women were randomized, 550 to each of the four study arms. We were unable to follow-up with 108 women, for a final sample size of 2092. Sample characteristics and sample size were similar among study arms. There was no significant increase in Tdap or influenza vaccine uptake overall. Among women who had no intention of or were unsure about receiving the influenza vaccine during pregnancy, those who received just the patient-level intervention were 61% more likely to receive the influenza vaccine than those in the control arm (Relative risk: 1.61; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.18-2.21). There was no significant difference in vaccine uptake for either influenza or tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis between the four arms of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial highlights the need for more targeted interventions to improve vaccine uptake. Future work should focus on clinics with low baseline vaccine uptake and the patient-level intervention should be expanded and targeted towards women with low vaccine confidence.

Self-Reported SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Is Consistent with Electronic Health Record Data among the COVID-19 Community Research Partnership

Introduction: Observational studies of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine effectiveness depend on accurate ascertainment of vaccination receipt, date, and product type. Self-reported vaccine data may be more readily available to and less expensive for researchers than assessing medical records. Methods: We surveyed adult participants in the COVID-19 Community Research Partnership who had an authenticated Electronic Health Record (EHR) (N = 41,484) concerning receipt of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination using a daily survey beginning in December 2020 and a supplemental survey in September–October 2021. We compared self-reported information to that available in the EHR for the following data points: vaccine brand, date of first dose, and number of doses using rates of agreement and Bland–Altman plots for visual assessment. Self-reported data was available immediately following vaccination (in the daily survey) and at a delayed interval (in a secondary supplemental survey). Results: For the date of first vaccine dose, self-reported “immediate” recall was within ±7 days of the date reported in the “delayed” survey for 87.9% of participants. Among the 19.6% of participants with evidence of vaccination in their EHR, 95% self-reported vaccination in one of the two surveys. Self-reported dates were within ±7 days of documented EHR vaccination for 97.6% of the “immediate” surveys and 92.0% of the “delayed” surveys. Self-reported vaccine product details matched those in the EHR for over 98% of participants for both “immediate” and “delayed” surveys. Conclusions: Self-reported dates and product details for COVID-19 vaccination can be a good surrogate when medical records are unavailable in large observational studies. A secondary confirmation of dates for a subset of participants with EHR data will provide internal validity.

An Independent Study to Compare Compliance, Attitudes, Knowledge, and Sources of Knowledge about Pneumococcal Vaccinations among an Italian Sample of Older Adults

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the leading causes of pneumoniae deaths, especially among elderly individuals, with the vaccine being the primary prevention instrument. However, information on national vaccine coverage among the elderly population is scarce and sparse. Methods: A survey involved a representative sample of Italians older than 65 years (n = 600), who agreed to participate in the study through a phone interview. Participants’ self-reported pneumococcal vaccination status, vaccine literacy, information source, and risk perception related to the infection and to vaccines-adverse reactions were assessed. Results: The reported vaccination status is very low (11.2%), with respondents largely uninformed about vaccination opportunities. The results also show that the predominant (and most effective) source of information is healthcare providers, with vaccine hesitancy being positively linked to risk perception related to disease and negatively linked to risk perception of vaccine adverse reactions. Conclusions: This study suggests the need to collect data to systematically monitor vaccination coverage and calls for information campaigns to improve elderly literacy to increase vaccination uptake.

Time Trends (2012-2020), Sex Differences and Predictors for Influenza Vaccination Uptake among Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Spain

(1) Background: To analyze time trends, sex differences, and factors associated with influenza vaccination uptake among individuals with COPD in Spain, 2012−2020. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study based on data from the European Health Surveys for Spain, 2020 (EHSS2020) and 2014 and from the Spanish National Health Interview Surveys for 2017 and 2012. (3) Results: The study included 65,447 participants. Prevalence of COPD was 5.9% (n = 3855). Overall, the influenza vaccination uptake among COPD patients was 57.8% versus 28.6% for those without COPD (p < 0.001). Men with COPD reported higher uptake than women in all the surveys studied. Neither the crude nor the multivariable analysis showed a significant variation change overtime for people with COPD. However, among those aged <65 years, crude uptake decreased from 2012 to 2020 (39.4% vs. 33.3%; p = 0.039). Over the entire period, men were vaccinated significantly more than women (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.12−1.47). Among COPD participants, included in the EHSS2020, independent predictors of vaccine uptake included being male, higher age, reporting no current smoking and suffering cancer or heart disease. (4) Conclusions: In COPD patients, the influenza vaccination uptake is below desirable levels and did not improve from 2012 to 2020. Sex differences are found, with consistent and constant lower uptake among women with COPD. The observed lower uptake among COPD women and patients with unhealthy lifestyle requires increased attention.

Vaccination History and Risk of Lymphoma and Its Major Subtypes

BACKGROUND

Vaccinations have been hypothesized to play a role in lymphoma etiology, but there are few studies, mixed results, and limited data on lymphoma subtypes. Herein, we investigate the association of vaccinations with risk of major lymphoma subtypes.

METHODS

We studied 2,461 lymphoma cases and 2,253 controls enrolled from 2002 to 2014. Participants self-reported history of vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, yellow fever, and influenza. Polytomous logistic regression was used to estimate OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

After multivariable adjustment, vaccination against influenza was inversely associated with lymphoma (OR = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.66-1.02), which was stronger for last vaccination 1+ years before enrollment (OR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.56-0.91) and for >5 influenza vaccinations (OR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.46-0.68). Ever vaccination against hepatitis A (OR = 0.81; 95% CI, 0.66-1.00) but not hepatitis B (OR = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.81-1.18) was associated with lymphoma risk, although more recent vaccinations were inversely associated with lymphoma risk for both hepatitis A (<6 years before enrollment, OR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.40-0.77) and hepatitis B (<9 years before enrollment, OR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.93). Ever vaccination against yellow fever was inversely associated with risk (OR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.55-0.96), and this did not vary by time since last vaccination. Although there was no overall statistical evidence for heterogeneity of vaccination history by lymphoma subtype, the only statistically significant inverse associations were observed for influenza and yellow fever vaccinations with diffuse large B-cell and follicular lymphoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Selected vaccinations were inversely associated with lymphoma risk, with time since last vaccination relevant for some of these vaccines.

IMPACT

Vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, yellow fever, and influenza are unlikely to increase lymphoma risk.

Agreement among sources of adult influenza vaccination in the age of immunization information systems

INTRODUCTION

Many vaccination studies rely on self-reported vaccination status, with its inherent biases. Accuracy of influenza vaccination self-report has been evaluated periodically, typically using the medical record as the gold standard. The burgeoning of electronic medical records (EMRs) and immunization information systems (IISs) and the rise of adult vaccine administration in community pharmacies suggest the need for a reevaluation of self-reported vaccination status.

METHODS

Vaccination data from self-report, the state IIS, the health system EMR and other sources were compared for participants in outpatient and inpatient influenza vaccine effectiveness studies for four seasons (2016-2017 to 2019-2020). Agreement among the sources was calculated along with sensitivity and specificity. Tests for trend assessed changes in completeness of the Pennsylvania - Statewide IIS (PA-SIIS) data over time.

RESULTS

With self-report as the gold standard, agreement with the local EMR, PA-SIIS, and all sources was 62%, 77% and 85%, respectively. Sensitivity of the EMR was 42% (95% CI = 41, 43) and specificity was 91% (90, 92). With PA-SIIS-as the gold standard, agreement with the local EMR and all sources was 77% and 78%, respectively. Sensitivity of all sources combined was 96% (95, 97) and specificity was (63% (62, 64). Capture of influenza vaccinations in the IIS has not consistently improved over time, with a significant increase among children (P = 0.001), no change among working-age adults and a decrease among older adults (P = 0.004). However, PA-SIIS provided the largest percentage of verified vaccines (69.3%) compared with EMR (43.3%) and other sources (12.4%).

CONCLUSION

Both self-report and PA-SIIS are good estimates of actual vaccine uptake. When high accuracy data are required, such as for vaccine effectiveness studies, triangulation using multiple sources should be conducted.

Cross-sectional study on the prevalence of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination and its association with health conditions and risk factors among hospitalized multimorbid older patients

BACKGROUND

Older adults with chronic conditions are at high risk of complications from influenza and pneumococcal infections. Evidence about factors associated with influenza and pneumococcal vaccination among older multimorbid persons in Europe is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and determinants of these vaccinations in this population.

METHODS

Multimorbid patients aged ≥70 years with polypharmacy were enrolled in 4 European centers in Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland. Data on vaccinations, demographics, health care contacts, and comorbidities were obtained from self-report, general practitioners and medical records. The association of comorbidities or medical contacts with vaccination status was assessed using multivariable adjusted log-binomial regression models.

RESULTS

Among 1956 participants with available influenza vaccination data (median age 79 years, 45% women), 1314 (67%) received an influenza vaccination within the last year. Of 1400 patients with available pneumococcal vaccination data (median age 79 years, 46% women), prevalence of pneumococcal vaccination was 21% (n = 291). The prevalence of vaccination remained low in high-risk populations with chronic respiratory disease (34%) or diabetes (24%), but increased with an increasing number of outpatient medical contacts. Chronic respiratory disease was independently associated with the receipt of both influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations (prevalence ratio [PR] 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.16; and PR 2.03, 95%CI 1.22-3.40, respectively), as was diabetes (PR 1.06, 95%CI 1.03-1.08; PR 1.24, 95%CI 1.16-1.34, respectively). An independent association was found between number of general practitioner visits and higher prevalence of pneumococcal vaccination (p for linear trend <0.001).

CONCLUSION

Uptake of influenza and particularly of pneumococcal vaccination in this population of European multimorbid older inpatients remains insufficient and is determined by comorbidities and number and type of health care contacts, especially outpatient medical visits. Hospitalization may be an opportunity to promote vaccination, particularly targeting patients with few outpatient physician contacts.

Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Adult Vaccination Coverage

INTRODUCTION

Adults from racial and ethnic minorities and low-income groups are disproportionately affected by vaccine-preventable diseases. The objective of this study is to examine the trends in adult vaccination coverage in the U.S. by race/ethnicity and SES from 2010 to 2019.

METHODS

Temporal trends in influenza; pneumococcal; herpes zoster; and tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccination coverage were examined by race/ethnicity and SES in 2020 using the National Health Interview Surveys from 2010 to 2019.

RESULTS

Influenza vaccination coverage differed by race/ethnicity among adults aged ≥65 years (61.4% for Black, 63.9% for Hispanic, 71.9% for Asian, and 72.4% for White adults). Race/ethnicity, household income, education level, and health insurance type were significantly associated with receipt of influenza; pneumococcal; tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis; and zoster vaccinations among adults aged ≥65 years in a multivariable-adjusted regression model. Socioeconomic differences in influenza vaccine uptake narrowed among adults aged 18-64 years from 2010 to 2019. By contrast, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic differences in vaccine uptake persisted from 2010 to 2019 among adults aged ≥65 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Racial and ethnic disparities in vaccine uptake persisted over the last decade. Socioeconomic disparities in influenza vaccine coverage narrowed among adults aged 18-64 years; however, disparities persisted among adults aged ≥65 years. Efforts are urgently needed to achieve equity in immunization rates.

Agreement between state registry, health record, and self-report of influenza vaccination

BACKGROUND

Documentation of influenza vaccination, including the specific product received, is critical to estimate annual vaccine effectiveness (VE).

METHODS

We assessed performance of the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) in defining influenza vaccination status relative to documentation by provider records or self-report among subjects enrolled in a study of influenza VE from 2011 through 2019.

RESULTS

The specificity and positive predictive value of MCIR were high; however, >10% of vaccinations were identified only by other sources each season. The proportion of records captured by MCIR increased from a low of 67% in 2013-2014 to a high of 89% in 2018-2019, largely driven by increased capture of vaccination among adults.

CONCLUSIONS

State vaccine registries, such as MCIR, are important tools for documenting influenza vaccination, including the specific product received. However, incomplete capture suggests that documentation from other sources and self-report should be used in combination with registries to reduce misclassification.

Accuracy of Self-Reported Vaccination Status in a Cohort of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases is important in the care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Thus, accurate immunization histories are critical. Many providers rely on patient self-report when assessing immunization status. The primary aim of our study was to determine the accuracy of self-reported influenza vaccination status in a cohort of patients with IBD.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective study of patients with IBD who answered a vaccination status questionnaire and compared their responses to the Wisconsin Immunization Registry, a state-wide electronic immunization information system. The primary outcome was the sensitivity and specificity of self-reported influenza vaccination status. A secondary outcome evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of pneumococcal vaccination status.

RESULTS

A total of 200 patients with IBD were included in the study. Documented immunization rates were 74.5% for influenza vaccinations and 79.9% for pneumococcal vaccinations. Influenza vaccination self-report had a sensitivity of 98.7%, a specificity of 90.2%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 96.7% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 95.8%. In comparison, the sensitivity for pneumococcal vaccination was 83.5% with a specificity of 86.2%, PPV of 96.4%, and NPV of 54.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-reported influenza immunization status is sensitive and specific in patients with IBD. Accuracy for pneumococcal vaccination is slightly lower, but responses were notable for a high PPV. Self-report is an effective way to determine influenza immunization status and provides useful information for receipt of pneumococcal vaccine in patients with IBD.

Vaccination Rates Among Patients Age 65 Years and Older Who Require Interpreter Services in the State of Minnesota

In the United States, the growing population of older adults with limited English language proficiency (LEP) faces profound health care disparities. Previous research on vaccination of older adults has been based on self-reported data, without clinical verification. We compared pneumococcal vaccination rates between a patient group with LEP and a group of English speakers in an older community-dwelling population. A population-nested matched cohort of participants age 65 years and older was identified in Minnesota. Patients with LEP were identified through an electronic alert within the electronic health record, designed to determine the need for an interpreter. Patients were matched 1 to 1 for age, sex, and Charlson comorbidity index. We used conditional logistic regression for the final analysis. In total, 24,052 patients were identified as older patients (mean [SD] age, 74 [7] years). Of them, 617 patients (2.6%) had LEP. The most common primary languages were Somali (24%), Vietnamese (15%), and Spanish (13%). We found lower rates of vaccination with 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in the LEP group compared with English speakers [62% vs 77%; odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) 2.07 (1.61-2.66); P < 0.001]. Results were similar for 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) [60% vs 75%; OR (95% CI) 1.97 91.54-2.51); P < 0.001]. These data are suggestive that older adults who required a language interpreter during health care encounters were less likely to be vaccinated with PCV13 and PPSV23 than older adults who did not require an interpreter. Effectiveness studies are needed to determine which interventions can help improve vaccination rates in the LEP population of elderly patients.

The Reliability of Patient Self-reported Utilization in an Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Learning Health System

Background

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care is beset with substantial practice variation. Learning health systems (LHSs) aim to learn from this variation and improve quality of care by sharing feedback and improvement strategies within the LHS. Obtaining accurate information on outcomes and quality of care is a priority for LHS, which often includes patients' self-reported data. While prior work has shown that patients can accurately report their diagnosis and surgical history, little is known about their ability to self-report recent healthcare utilization, medication use, and vaccination status.

Methods

We compared patient self-reported data within the IBD Qorus LHS regarding recent IBD-related emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, computerized tomography (CT) scans, corticosteroid use, opioid use, influenza vaccinations, and pneumococcal vaccinations with electronic health record (EHR) data.

Results

We compared 328 patient self-reports to data extracted from the EHR. Sensitivity was moderate-to-high for ED visits, hospitalizations, and CT scans (76%, 87%, and 87%, respectively), sensitivity was lower for medication use with 71% sensitivity for corticosteroid use and only 50% sensitivity for self-reported use of opioids. Vaccinations were reported with high sensitivity, but overall agreement was low as many patients reported vaccinations that were not registered in the EHR.

Conclusions

Self-reported IBD-related ED visits, hospitalizations, and CT scans are reported with high sensitivity and accuracy. Medication use, and in particular opioid use, is less reliably reported. Vaccination self-report is likely more accurate than EHR data as many vaccinations are not accurately registered.

Surveillance of Vaccination Coverage Among Adult Populations -United States, 2018

PROBLEM/CONDITION

Adults are at risk for illness, hospitalization, disability and, in some cases, death from vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly influenza and pneumococcal disease. CDC recommends vaccinations for adults on the basis of age, health conditions, prior vaccinations, and other considerations. Updated vaccination recommendations from CDC are published annually in the U.S. Adult Immunization Schedule. Despite longstanding recommendations for use of many vaccines, vaccination coverage among U.S. adults remains low.

REPORTING PERIOD

August 2017-June 2018 (for influenza vaccination) and January-December 2018 (for pneumococcal, herpes zoster, tetanus and diphtheria [Td]/tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis [Tdap], hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and human papillomavirus [HPV] vaccination).

DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM

The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is a continuous, cross-sectional national household survey of the noninstitutionalized U.S. civilian population. In-person interviews are conducted throughout the year in a probability sample of households, and NHIS data are compiled and released annually. NHIS's objective is to monitor the health of the U.S. population and provide estimates of health indicators, health care use and access, and health-related behaviors. Adult receipt of influenza, pneumococcal, herpes zoster, Td/Tdap, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and at least 1 dose of HPV vaccines was assessed. Estimates were derived for a new composite adult vaccination quality measure and by selected demographic and access-to-care characteristics (e.g., age, race/ethnicity, indication for vaccination, travel history [travel to countries where hepatitis infections are endemic], health insurance status, contacts with physicians, nativity, and citizenship). Trends in adult vaccination were assessed during 2010-2018.

RESULTS

Coverage for the adult age-appropriate composite measure was low in all age groups. Racial and ethnic differences in coverage persisted for all vaccinations, with lower coverage for most vaccinations among non-White compared with non-Hispanic White adults. Linear trend tests indicated coverage increased from 2010 to 2018 for most vaccines in this report. Few adults aged ≥19 years had received all age-appropriate vaccines, including influenza vaccination, regardless of whether inclusion of Tdap (13.5%) or inclusion of any tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine (20.2%) receipt was measured. Coverage among adults for influenza vaccination during the 2017-18 season (46.1%) was similar to the estimate for the 2016-17 season (45.4%), and coverage for pneumococcal (adults aged ≥65 years [69.0%]), herpes zoster (adults aged ≥50 years and aged ≥60 years [24.1% and 34.5%, respectively]), tetanus (adults aged ≥19 years [62.9%]), Tdap (adults aged ≥19 years [31.2%]), hepatitis A (adults aged ≥19 years [11.9%]), and HPV (females aged 19-26 years [52.8%]) vaccination in 2018 were similar to the estimates for 2017. Hepatitis B vaccination coverage among adults aged ≥19 years and health care personnel (HCP) aged ≥19 years increased 4.2 and 6.7 percentage points to 30.0% and 67.2%, respectively, from 2017. HPV vaccination coverage among males aged 19-26 years increased 5.2 percentage points to 26.3% from the 2017 estimate. Overall, HPV vaccination coverage among females aged 19-26 years did not increase, but coverage among Hispanic females aged 19-26 years increased 10.8 percentage points to 49.6% from the 2017 estimate. Coverage for the following vaccines was lower among adults without health insurance compared with those with health insurance: influenza vaccine (among adults aged ≥19 years, 19-49 years, and 50-64 years), pneumococcal vaccine (among adults aged 19-64 years at increased risk), Td vaccine (among all age groups), Tdap vaccine (among adults aged ≥19 years and 19-64 years), hepatitis A vaccine (among adults aged ≥19 years overall and among travelers aged ≥19 years), hepatitis B vaccine (among adults aged ≥19 years and 19-49 years and among travelers aged ≥19 years), herpes zoster vaccine (among adults aged ≥60 years), and HPV vaccine (among males and females aged 19-26 years). Adults who reported having a usual place for health care generally reported receipt of recommended vaccinations more often than those who did not have such a place, regardless of whether they had health insurance. Vaccination coverage was higher among adults reporting ≥1 physician contact during the preceding year compared with those who had not visited a physician during the preceding year, regardless of whether they had health insurance. Even among adults who had health insurance and ≥10 physician contacts during the preceding year, depending on the vaccine, 20.1%-87.5% reported not having received vaccinations that were recommended either for all persons or for those with specific indications. Overall, vaccination coverage among U.S.-born adults was significantly higher than that of foreign-born adults, including influenza vaccination (aged ≥19 years), pneumococcal vaccination (all ages), tetanus vaccination (all ages), Tdap vaccination (all ages), hepatitis B vaccination (aged ≥19 years and 19-49 years and travelers aged ≥19 years), herpes zoster vaccination (all ages), and HPV vaccination among females aged 19-26 years. Vaccination coverage also varied by citizenship status and years living in the United States.

INTERPRETATION

NHIS data indicate that many adults remain unprotected against vaccine-preventable diseases. Coverage for the adult age-appropriate composite measures was low in all age groups. Individual adult vaccination coverage remained low as well, but modest gains occurred in vaccination coverage for hepatitis B (among adults aged ≥19 years and HCP aged ≥19 years), and HPV (among males aged 19-26 years and Hispanic females aged 19-26 years). Coverage for other vaccines and groups with Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices vaccination indications did not improve from 2017. Although HPV vaccination coverage among males aged 19-26 years and Hispanic females aged 19-26 years increased, approximately 50% of females aged 19-26 years and 70% of males aged 19-26 years remained unvaccinated. Racial/ethnic vaccination differences persisted for routinely recommended adult vaccines. Having health insurance coverage, having a usual place for health care, and having ≥1 physician contacts during the preceding 12 months were associated with higher vaccination coverage; however, these factors alone were not associated with optimal adult vaccination coverage, and findings indicate missed opportunities to vaccinate remained.

PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS

Substantial improvement in adult vaccination uptake is needed to reduce the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases. Following the Standards for Adult Immunization Practice (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/adults/for-practice/standards/index.html), all providers should routinely assess adults' vaccination status at every clinical encounter, strongly recommend appropriate vaccines, either offer needed vaccines or refer their patients to another provider who can administer the needed vaccines, and document vaccinations received by their patients in an immunization information system.

Self-reported medication intake vs information from other data sources such as pharmacy records or medical records: Identification and description of existing publications, and comparison of agreement results for publications focusing on patients with cancer - a systematic review

PURPOSE

To identify and describe publications addressing the agreement between self-reported medication and other data sources among adults and, in a subgroup of studies dealing with cancer patients, seek to identify parameters which are associated with agreement.

METHODS

A systematic review including a systematic search within five biomedical databases up to February 28, 2019 was conducted as per the PRISMA Statement. Studies and agreement results were described. For a subgroup of studies dealing with cancer, we searched for associations between agreement and patients' characteristics, study design, comparison data source, and self-report modality.

RESULTS

The literature search retrieved 3392 publications. Included articles (n = 120) show heterogeneous agreement. Eighteen publications focused on cancer populations, with relatively good agreement identified in those which analyzed hormone therapy, estrogen, and chemotherapy (n = 11). Agreement was especially good for chemotherapy (proportion correct ≥93.6%, kappa ≥0.88). No distinct associations between agreement and age, education or marital status were identified in the results. There was little evaluation of associations between agreement and study design, self-report modality and comparison data source, thus not allowing for any conclusions to be drawn.

CONCLUSION

An overview of the evidence available from validation studies with a description of several characteristics is provided. Studies with experimental design which evaluate factors that might affect agreement between self-report and other data sources are lacking.

Influenza vaccination rates and location for receiving the influenza vaccination among older adult Medicare beneficiaries

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to (1) assess the trends in older adult influenza vaccination rates and (2) locations at which U.S. older adults received influenza vaccinations for the 2008-2009 to 2017-2018 influenza seasons, and (3) compare the estimates of influenza vaccination rates and locations with the estimates from other sources reported previously.

METHODS

Data from the 2009 to 2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) were used in this analysis. The weighted sample included an average of approximately 37 million community-dwelling older Medicare beneficiaries who completed questionnaires per year. The estimates for older adult influenza vaccination rates and the locations that they used to receive the influenza vaccination were weighted and reported for the 2008-2009 to 2017-2018 influenza seasons.

RESULTS

The self-reported older adult influenza vaccination rates between 2008-09 and 2017-2018 ranged from 69.6% (24.6 million) to 75.0% (31.3 million). Across the study period, the percentage of older adults receiving the influenza vaccination at a physician office and clinic declined by 10.4%. The decline was more than offset by an increase in older adult influenza vaccination receipt at a community pharmacy, which substantially increased from 16.6% (4.1 million) in 2008-2009 to 34.8% (10.9 million) in 2014-2015. When compared with the estimates from other sources, the absolute value of the MCBS estimates corresponds with National Health Interview Survey estimates. The older adult influenza vaccination rate increased slightly between the 2008-2009 and 2017-2018 influenza seasons but is still below the 90% benchmark.

CONCLUSION

Community pharmacies-increasingly important access points for the influenza vaccination for older adults-likely contributed to the growth in the rate of older adults vaccinated with influenza vaccines.

Does Partisanship Affect Compliance with Government Recommendations?

This article studies the role of partisanship in American's willingness to follow government recommendations. I combine survey and behavioral data to examine partisans' vaccination rates during the Bush and Obama administrations. I find that presidential co-partisans are more likely to believe that vaccines are safe and more likely to vaccinate themselves and their children than presidential out-partisans. Depending on the vaccine, presidential co-partisans are 4-10 percentage points more likely to vaccinate than presidential out-partisans. Using causal mediation analysis, I find that this effect is the result of partisans' differing levels of trust in government. This finding sheds light on the far-reaching role of partisanship in Americans' interactions with the federal government.

Better Patient Experience is Associated with Better Vaccine Uptake in Older Adults: Multicentered Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Older adults' uptake of influenza and pneumococcus vaccines is insufficient worldwide. Although patient experience of primary care is associated with vaccine uptake in children, this relationship remains unclear for older adults.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the association between patient experience of primary care and influenza/pneumococcal vaccine uptake in older adults.

DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a multicentered cross-sectional survey involving 25 primary care institutions in urban and rural areas in Japan. Participants were outpatients aged ≥ 65 years who visited one of the participating institutions within the 1-week study period. We assessed patient experience of primary care using the Japanese version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (JPCAT), which includes six domains: first contact (accessibility), longitudinality (continuity of care), coordination, comprehensiveness (services available), comprehensiveness (services provided), and community orientation. We used a generalized linear mixed-effects model to adjust for clustering within institutions and individual covariates.

KEY RESULTS

One thousand participants were included in the analysis. After adjusting for clustering within institutions and other possible confounders, influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake was positively associated with JPCAT total scores (odds ratio per 1 standard deviation increase: 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.40 and odds ratio: 1.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.46, respectively). Of the JPCAT domains, coordination and community orientation were associated with influenza vaccine uptake and longitudinality, coordination, and comprehensiveness were associated with pneumococcal vaccine uptake.

CONCLUSIONS

Influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake were positively associated with patient experience of primary care in older adults. Consideration of patient experience, particularly longitudinality, coordination, comprehensiveness, and community orientation, could improve vaccine uptake.

Characteristics of Repeated Influenza Vaccination Among Older U.S. Adults

INTRODUCTION

Annual influenza vaccination is associated with reduced mortality among older adults and lower overall public health burden of influenza. This study seeks to identify the characteristics associated with repeat influenza vaccination and determine whether age-group (51-59, 60-69, ≥70 years) differences exist.

METHODS

Using the nationally representative, longitudinal Health and Retirement Study waves 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016, adults aged >50 years were followed from 2004 to 2016. In 2020, age-stratified, multinomial regression models were estimated to identify the factors associated with respondents receiving the vaccine repeatedly (every time point), occasionally (some years), or never, with censoring for death.

RESULTS

The overall proportion of adults repeatedly receiving influenza vaccine monotonically increased across age groups from 25.9% among adults aged 51-59 years to 62.4% among those aged ≥70 years. Black, non-Hispanics and smokers were less likely to repeatedly receive an influenza vaccine than white, non-Hispanics and nonsmokers (RR=0.40-0.61 and RR=0.60-0.75, respectively, p<0.05 for all). Those who had 1‒4 medical doctor visits in the past 2 years (RR=1.60-2.99) or cholesterol screening (RR=2.67-3.48) in the past 2 years were significantly more likely to repeatedly receive influenza vaccine than those who had none.

CONCLUSIONS

Although adults aged 60-69 years and ≥70 years are more likely to receive influenza vaccine repeatedly than adults aged 51-59 years, age-specific interventions for repeat influenza vaccination may not be as effective as interventions targeted to certain subgroups among adults aged ≥51 years.

Rate of preventative vaccine use and vaccine beliefs among a commercially insured population

Immunization is an important component of preventive healthcare services. By recognizing and understanding factors associated with suboptimal vaccination compliance, healthcare providers can better approach at-risk populations and target efforts at reinforcing the vital importance of immunizations. The objective of this study was to understand the factors associated with adherence, beliefs and behaviors of influenza, pneumococcal, and herpes zoster vaccines receipt among commercially insured adults. A cross-sectional survey of patients with medical and pharmacy benefits for a 24-month period between August 1, 2014 and July 31, 2016 who were eligible to receive at least one of three adult vaccines (influenza, pneumococcal, and herpes zoster) was completed. Patients were identified as eligible to receive a vaccine based on current guidelines from the CDC ACIP. Health plan members were identified from administrative claims data in the HealthCore Integrated Research DatabaseSM (HIRD). Among the participants, 11% were eligible and up-to-date on all three vaccines; 52% on some and 37% were not up-to-date on any of the three vaccines. Participants with a healthcare provider were more likely to be up-to-date on eligible vaccines: 79.9% for none, 91.3% for some, and 97.8% for all eligible vaccines. The composite Vaccine Myth Belief score was significantly associated with being up to date on eligible vaccines: 45.0%/12.8% for none, 12/5%/30.8% for some, and 8.9%/33.3% for those up-to-date on all eligible vaccines. Despite numerous interventions designed to increase vaccination rates among adults, compliance remains suboptimal. It is evident that patient and provider education is necessary to fill knowledge gaps and misunderstandings; however knowledge by itself is not sufficient to improve immunization practices. Our results highlight a population that could benefit from a multidisciplinary approach, including interventions at the individual and health system levels.

Variability in influenza vaccination opportunities and coverage among privately insured children

BACKGROUND

Universal influenza vaccination has been recommended since 2010, yet influenza vaccination rates among children aged 6 months to 17 years remain low compared with other routinely recommended childhood vaccines.

OBJECTIVE

Assess in-plan vaccination coverage, opportunities, and missed opportunities during the 2016-2017 influenza season.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective analyses using 2016-2017 MarketScan® data for 2,768,799 privately insured children aged 1-17 years by the end of 2016 who were continuously enrolled in the same insurance plan during the 2016-2017 influenza season (defined as August 1, 2016 through May 31, 2017). We assessed in-plan vaccination coverage (percentage receiving ≥ 1 dose of influenza vaccine from August 2016-May 2017) and vaccination opportunities (percentage with ≥ 1 provider visit between September 2016 - May 2017). Among children who remained unvaccinated at the end of the season, those with ≥ 1 influenza vaccination opportunity between September 2016-May 2017 were determined to have a missed opportunity.

RESULTS

In-plan vaccination coverage during the 2016-17 season was 67.7% in infants (born 2015), 49.5% in toddlers (born 2012-2014), 35.0% in school-aged children (born 2004-2011), and 22.3% in teenagers (born 1999-2003). Like vaccination coverage, vaccination opportunities decreased with age (infants: 97.7%, toddlers: 91.9%, school-aged children: 82.6%, teenagers: 79.3%). Among unvaccinated children, 93.1%, 84.1%, 73.6% and 73.6% of each age group had a missed opportunity for influenza vaccination.

CONCLUSION

Opportunities for and coverage with influenza vaccination vary even among privately insured children. Along with continued efforts to reduce missed opportunities, effective strategies to bring children to their doctor for annual influenza vaccination are needed, particularly for older children.

Vaccine coverage and factors associated with influenza vaccination in the elderly in the city of São Paulo, Brazil: SABE Study 2015

This study evaluated influenza vaccine coverage among elderly individuals (≥ 60 years) living in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, in 2015, and analyzed associated factors. This was a cross-sectional population-based study of data from the SABE Study (Health, Well-Being, and Aging). The dependent variable was influenza vaccination in the 12 months prior to the interview, and the independent variables were sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics, self-reported health status, and use of health services. Data analysis considered the complex study sample, respecting the sampling weight. Poisson's regression was used, with significance set at 5%. Vaccine coverage was 79.7% (95%CI: 76.8-82.5). Influenza vaccination was associated with marital status (PR single/without partner = 0.84; 95%CI: 0.77-0.93), physical activity (PR yes = 1.08; 95%CI: 1.01-1.17), and medical appointment in the previous 12 months (PR yes = 1.22; 95%CI: 1.07-1.39). There were no differences between sociodemographic strata. Influenza vaccination in the elderly had already reached the target for universal coverage in the city of São Paulo. The results are relevant for planning the immunization program, pointing to priority groups to motivate for vaccination and valuing interaction between the elderly and health services.

The Impact of Prior Season Vaccination on Subsequent Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness to Prevent Influenza-related Hospitalizations Over 4 Influenza Seasons in Canada

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have demonstrated the possibility of negative associations between prior influenza vaccines and subsequent influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE), depending on season and strain. We investigated this association over 4 consecutive influenza seasons (2011-2012 through 2014-2015) in Canada.

METHODS

Using a matched test-negative design, laboratory-confirmed influenza cases and matched test-negative controls admitted to hospitals were enrolled. Patients were stratified into 4 groups according to influenza vaccine history (not vaccinated current and prior season [referent], vaccinated prior season only, vaccinated current season only, and vaccinated both current and prior season). Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate VE; prior vaccine impact was assessed each season for overall effect and effect stratified by age (<65 years, ≥65 years) and type/subtype (A/H1N1, A/H3N2, influenza B).

RESULTS

Overall, mainly nonsignificant associations were observed. Trends of nonsignificant decreased VE among patients repeatedly vaccinated in both prior and current season relative to the current season only were observed in the A/H3N2-dominant seasons of 2012-2013 and 2014-2015. Conversely, in 2011-2012, during which B viruses circulated, and in 2013-2014, when A/H1N1 circulated, being vaccinated in both seasons tended to result in a high VE in the current season against the dominant circulating subtype.

CONCLUSIONS

Prior vaccine impact on subsequent VE among Canadian inpatients was mainly nonsignificant. Even in circumstances where we observed a trend of negative impact, being repeatedly vaccinated was still more effective than not receiving the current season's vaccine. These findings favor continuation of annual influenza vaccination recommendations, particularly in older adults.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

NCT01517191.

Measles immunity in healthcare workers of an Italian hospital

BACKGROUND

In Italy, 4991 cases of measles were reported in 2017 and 322 involved healthcare workers (HCWs). These professionals are at high risk of infection and transmission of virus both to other hospital staff and importantly, to patients, some of whom may be at risk of severe illness and complications. According to the Italian National Immunization and Prevention Plan, all HCWs should have demonstrable evidence of immunity to measles and specific hospital surveillance is recommended. Given a recent measles outbreak recorded in Italy, which also involved HCWs, the aim of this study has been to assess the measles immunization status of the Perugia General Hospital's HCWs.

METHODS

A survey on all hospital staff was carried out, using a questionnaire to obtain information on demographic characteristics, personal history of measles and self-reported vaccination status, and offering the serological testing to HCWs who did not know their immune status.

RESULTS

Among the 1714 HCWs included in the study, 1207 (70%) were protected against measles (due to vaccination or natural infection), and 507 (30%) did not know their immune status. Of these, 461 subjects accepted a serological control, while 46 refused. Protective measles-specific IgG antibody titres were documented in 410/461 (89%) HCWs, and the percentage of immune subjects decreased with the age.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that in Perugia General Hospital, 26% of HCWs under the age of 30 were not protected against measles. In Italy, campaigns promoting vaccination of HCWs are needed to prevent transmission of this infection in hospital setting.

Factors that influence vaccination decision-making among pregnant women: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The most important factor influencing maternal vaccination uptake is healthcare professional (HCP) recommendation. However, where data are available, one-third of pregnant women remain unvaccinated despite receiving a recommendation. Therefore, it is essential to understand the significance of other factors and distinguish between vaccines administered routinely and during outbreaks. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD 42019118299) to examine the strength of the relationships between identified factors and maternal vaccination uptake.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, Embase Classic & Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, IBSS, LILACS, AfricaWideInfo, IMEMR, and Global Health databases for studies reporting factors that influence maternal vaccination. We used random-effects models to calculate pooled odds ratios (OR) of being vaccinated by vaccine type.

FINDINGS

We screened 17,236 articles and identified 120 studies from 30 countries for inclusion. Of these, 49 studies were eligible for meta-analysis. The odds of receiving a pertussis or influenza vaccination were ten to twelve-times higher among pregnant women who received a recommendation from HCPs. During the 2009 influenza pandemic an HCP recommendation increased the odds of antenatal H1N1 vaccine uptake six times (OR 6.76, 95% CI 3.12-14.64, I2 = 92.00%). Believing there was potential for vaccine-induced harm had a negative influence on seasonal (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.11-0.44 I2 = 84.00%) and pandemic influenza vaccine uptake (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.09-0.29, I2 = 89.48%), reducing the odds of being vaccinated five-fold. Combined with our qualitative analysis the relationship between the belief in substantial disease risk and maternal seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccination uptake was limited.

CONCLUSIONS

The effect of an HCP recommendation during an outbreak, whilst still powerful, may be muted by other factors. This requires further research, particularly when vaccines are novel. Public health campaigns which centre on the protectiveness and safety of a maternal vaccine rather than disease threat alone may prove beneficial.

Vaccine Effectiveness Against Influenza-Associated Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Hospitalized Adults, Louisville, Kentucky, 2010-2013

Background

Preventing severe complications of influenza such as hospitalization is a public health priority; however, estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) against influenza-associated acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) hospitalizations are limited. We examined influenza VE against influenza-associated LRTIs in hospitalized adult patients.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from a randomized trial of oseltamivir treatment in adults hospitalized with LRTI in Louisville, Kentucky, from 2010 to 2013. Patients were systematically tested for influenza at the time of enrollment. We estimated VE as 1 - the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of antecedent vaccination in influenza-positives vs negatives × 100%. Vaccination status was obtained by patient self-report. Using logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, season, timing of illness, history of chronic lung disease, and activities of daily living, we estimated VE against hospitalized influenza-associated LRTIs and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) with radiographic findings of infiltrate.

Results

Of 810 patients with LRTI (median age, 62 years), 184 (23%) were influenza-positive and 57% had radiographically confirmed CAP. Among influenza-positives and -negatives, respectively, 61% and 69% were vaccinated. Overall, 29% were hospitalized in the prior 90 days and >80% had comorbidities. Influenza-negatives were more likely to have a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than influenza-positives (59% vs 48%; P = .01), but baseline medical conditions were otherwise similar. Overall, VE was 35% (95% CI, 4% to 56%) against influenza-associated LRTI and 51% (95% CI, 13% to 72%) against influenza-associated radiographically confirmed CAP.

Conclusions

Vaccination reduced the risk of hospitalization for influenza-associated LRTI and radiographically confirmed CAP. Clinicians should maintain high rates of influenza vaccination to prevent severe influenza-associated complications.

Trends in influenza and pneumococcal vaccine coverage in Thai patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus 2010-2018: Experience from a tertiary diabetes center in Bangkok

Trends in influenza and pneumococcal vaccine coverage in Thai patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus 2010-2018: Experience from a tertiary diabetes center in Bangkok.

BACKGROUND

Routine vaccination is an important part of preventive services in treating patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). There are no available data in temporal trends of vaccination coverage rates in both influenza and pneumococcal vaccines among Thai patients with T2DM.

AIM

This study aimed to elucidate influenza and pneumococcal vaccination trends and to identify factors that affect vaccination rates in those patients.

METHOD

A retrospective study of randomly medical records stratified by 13 diabetologists was conducted in patients with T2DM from 2010 to 2018 at Theptarin Hospital, a private multi-disciplinary diabetes center in Bangkok. Adherence to influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations according to current guidance on adult immunization in Thailand had been studied. The rate of both vaccinations from each diabetologist had also been recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 2114 medical records (female 51.7%, mean age 65.2 ± 12.8 years, BMI 26.5 ± 4.6 kg/m2, A1C 7.1 ± 1.3%, median duration of diabetes 13 years) were retrospectively reviewed covering a 9-year period. We audited 3554 selected outpatient visits for influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations rates as key performance index in each year. The overall vaccination rate was 39.6% for influenza, 17.4% for the pneumococcal vaccine, and only 13.7%, for both vaccines. The trends of influenza vaccination rates increased from 32.9% in 2010 to 52.2% in 2018 but the trends of pneumococcal vaccination rates were relatively stable at less than 20%. The rate of both vaccinations varied considerably from 0 to 44% among our diabetologists. Age ≥ 65 years, duration of DM ≥ 15 years, the presence of chronic respiratory disease, and moderate to severe Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score were positively associated with both received vaccinations.

CONCLUSIONS

The completeness and timeliness of influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations were unsatisfactory in Thai patients with T2DM. More efforts are needed to increase both influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates.

Influenza vaccination rate and its association with chronic diseases in China: Results of a national cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

Influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza. Few studies on its rate were reported throughout China and for populations with chronic diseases. An estimation of the rates in China was accomplished.

METHODS

All data were from a national cross-sectional survey of a sample representing the population aged 40 years or older in mainland China in 2014-15. A total of 74,484 individuals with complete self-reported influenza vaccination status were analyzed in 2018-19.

RESULTS

The overall influenza vaccination rate was 2.4% (95% CI 1.4-3.3) with 1.7% (95% CI 1.2-2.2) for the age group 40-59 years and 3.8% (95% CI 1.6-5.9) for the group ≥60 years. The rate was 4.0% (95% CI 2.0-5.9) among people with a chronic disease. People with asthma and people with emphysema had the highest rates (7.1%, 95% CI 3.2-11.0 and 6.6%, 95% CI 3.6-9.7) while people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and people with chronic bronchitis had the lower rates (3.6%, 95% CI 2.0-5.2 and 4.8%, 95% CI 2.6-7.0). The rate was the highest among former smokers (3.3%, 95% CI 2.3-4.4) compared to current smokers (1.8%, 95% CI 0.9-2.7) and never smokers (2.5%, 95% CI 1.4-3.6). People living with finance-reimbursed vaccination policy, a positive factor for vaccination, had a higher vaccination rate (11.5%, 95% CI 10.8-12.2) (p < 0.05). People with older age, higher education level, occupation of professionals or technical personnel, living in rural areas or Northern China, former/never smoking were more likely to be vaccinated (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The influenza vaccination rate is low among adults aged ≥40 years, those ≥60 years and those with chronic diseases in China. Reimbursement policy targeting the elderly should be implemented widely and strategies towards patients with chronic diseases need urgent attention to increase the influenza vaccination coverage.

What isn't measured isn't done - eight years with no progress in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult influenza and pneumococcal vaccination

OBJECTIVES

To describe and compare vaccination coverage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter referred to as Indigenous) adults in 2004-05 and 2012-13, including the impact of national vaccination funding initiatives.

METHODS

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health cross-sectional surveys - 2004-05 (n=5,757) and 2012-13 (n=5,482) - were compared. Self-reported influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage among Indigenous adults was analysed by age, remoteness, gender and risk factor status.

RESULTS

Influenza vaccination coverage among Indigenous adults in 2004-05 and 2012-13 remained low. While coverage increased for those aged 18-49 years from 23% to 29%, it declined for those aged ≥65 years from 84% to 74%. For remote areas, influenza coverage among those aged 50-64 years declined from 76% to 66%. Pneumococcal vaccination coverage remained very low and declined across all age groups in 2004-05 and 2012-13 (50-64 years: 30% to 23%). For remote areas, pneumococcal coverage declined among those aged 50-64 years from 52% to 32%.

CONCLUSIONS

Indigenous adult vaccination coverage for influenza and pneumococcal disease remains unacceptably low. Between 2004-05 and 2012-13, declines occurred in pneumococcal vaccination coverage across all age groups ≥18 years. Despite national funding of influenza vaccine in 2010, there was no increase in influenza coverage, except for the 18-49-year age group. Implications for public health: Current approaches to promote, deliver and monitor vaccination of Indigenous adults are inadequate.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Coverage Trends Among Adult Populations, U.S., 2010-2016

INTRODUCTION

Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among adults. The most effective strategy for preventing influenza is annual vaccination. However, vaccination coverage has been suboptimal among adult populations. The purpose of this study is to assess trends in influenza vaccination among adult populations.

METHODS

Data from the 2010-2016 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed in 2018 to estimate vaccination coverage during the 2010-2011 through 2015-2016 seasons. Trends of vaccination in recent years were assessed. Vaccination coverage by race/ethnicity within each group was examined. Multivariable logistic regression and predictive marginal models were conducted to identify factors associated with vaccination, and interactions between race/ethnicity and other demographic and access-to-care characteristics were assessed.

RESULTS

Vaccination coverage among adults aged ≥18 years increased from 38.3% in the 2010-2011 season to 43.4% in the 2015-2016 season, with an average increase of 1.3 percentage points annually. From the 2010-2011 through 2015-2016 seasons, coverage was stable for adults aged ≥65 years and changed by -0.1 to 9.9 percentage points for all other examined subgroups. Coverage in 2015-2016 was 70.4% for adults aged ≥65 years, 46.4% for those aged 50-64 years, and 32.3% for those aged 18-49 years; 47.9% for people aged 18-64 years with high-risk conditions; 64.8% for healthcare personnel; and 50.3% for pregnant women. Among adults aged ≥18 years for the 2015-2016 season, coverage was significantly lower among non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic whites.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, influenza vaccination coverage among adults aged ≥18 years increased during 2010-2016, but it remained below the national target of 70%. Vaccination coverage varied by age, risk status, race/ethnicity, healthcare personnel, and pregnancy status. Targeted efforts are needed to improve coverage and reduce disparities.

Vaccine hesitancy in the French population in 2016, and its association with vaccine uptake and perceived vaccine risk-benefit balance

Vaccine hesitancy (VH) is prominent in France. Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of VH in sub-groups of the French population and to investigate the association of VH with both vaccine uptake and perceived risk–benefit balance (RBB) for four vaccines. Methods: During the 2016 Health Barometer – a national cross-sectional telephone survey in a representative sample of the French population – parents of 1–15 year-old children, parents of 11–15 year-old girls and elderly people aged 65–75 years were asked about VH (using three questions adapted from the World Health Organization definition), vaccine uptake and perceived RBB for measles and hepatitis B (children’s parents), human papillomavirus (girls’ parents) and seasonal influenza (elderly people) vaccines. Results: A total of 3,938 parents including 959 girls' parents – and 2,418 elderly people were interviewed. VH prevalence estimates were 46% (95% confidence interval (CI): 44–48) among parents, 48% (95%CI: 45–51) among girls’ parents and 35% (95% CI: 33–36) among elderly people, with higher estimates associated with high education level, children’s age (10–15 years), and, for the elderly, poor perception of health status. VH was associated with uncertainty about and/or an unfavourable perception of vaccines’ RBB for the four vaccines and with lower self-reported vaccine uptake, except for human papillomavirus vaccine in girls. Results were confirmed by multivariable analysis. Conclusion: Further research is needed to study the association between VH and vaccine uptake for other vaccines, and to design and validate measurement tools to monitor VH over time.

Attitudes and perception of influenza vaccines among older people in Singapore: A qualitative study

Background

Despite recommendations for influenza vaccination of people aged 65 and above, uptake rate of influenza vaccines remains low.

This study aims to understand barriers and motivators behind older adult’s decision on influenza vaccination.

Methods

Face to face interviews with participants aged 65 and above were conducted and audio recorded in Geylang polyclinic in Singapore. Thematic content analysis was used to organise the data.

Results

15 older adults were interviewed, aged between 66 and 85 years old. 6 were vaccine refusers, 3 defaulters and 6 acceptors.

A perceived lack of vulnerability, fear of side effects, and trivialisation of influenza were common reasons for not taking the vaccine. Encouragement from family and friends, travel and previous positive vaccination experiences were motivators for getting vaccinated. Healthcare workers played a role in influencing many of the participants’ decision-making. Common misconceptions included vaccines considered as necessary only before travel and as a cure rather than prevention. Most participants exhibited ambivalence, giving reasons both for and against vaccine uptake.

Discussion

Most older adults do not perceive influenza as a potentially serious disease nor trust in influenza vaccines’ efficacy. Misconceptions played a significant role in vaccine decline. Novel findings include the importance of the family unit in decision making, prioritization of chronic health problems over vaccination and misconception that vaccines are only needed when travelling out of country. Healthcare workers and family members appear to be important influencers in the decision making of older adults and should be actively engaged in future health promotion initiatives.

Using general practice data to monitor influenza vaccination coverage in the medically at risk: a data linkage study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the possibility of using data from a network of Australian General Practices (GPs) to estimate influenza vaccination coverage in Australians medically at risk.

DESIGN

Data electronically extracted from a large national network of Australian GP clinics (MedicineInsight) was analysed for annual influenza vaccination coverage from 2008 to 2014. We compared the results with the 2009 and 2014 Adult Vaccination Survey. We adjusted for differences in the distribution of age, risk groups and provider types.

SETTING

All states in Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

GPs participating in MedicineInsight programme.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Annual vaccination coverage across risk groups as recorded in Adult Vaccination Survey in 2009 and 2014 were compared with vaccination coverage in MedicineInsight. The impact of National Immunisation Programme expansion of free vaccine in 2010 to cover patients aged <65 years with medical risk factors.

RESULTS

The proportion of MedicineInsight patients aged ≥18 years and diagnosed with medical risk factors was higher in 2014 (33.2%), compared with the AVS in 2009 (25%). In 2009, influenza vaccination coverage estimates for those aged 18-64 years with medical risk factors was lower for MedicineInsight patients compared with the AVS (26% vs 36%). There was no evidence of any change in coverage between 2008 and 2014, despite the vaccine being available free of charge to this group from 2010.

CONCLUSION

General practice databases have the potential to help fill the gap in vaccination coverage data in patients with medical risk factors.

Prevention of Influenza Hospitalization Among Adults in the United States, 2015-2016: Results From the US Hospitalized Adult Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network (HAIVEN)

BACKGROUND

Evidence establishing effectiveness of influenza vaccination for prevention of severe illness is limited. The US Hospitalized Adult Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Network (HAIVEN) is a multiyear test-negative case-control study initiated in 2015-2016 to estimate effectiveness of vaccine in preventing influenza hospitalization among adults.

METHODS

Adults aged ≥18 years admitted to 8 US hospitals with acute respiratory illness and testing positive for influenza by polymerase chain reaction were cases; those testing negative were controls. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated with logistic regression adjusting for age, comorbidities, and other confounding factors and stratified by frailty, 2-year vaccination history, and clinical presentation.

RESULTS

We analyzed data from 236 cases and 1231 controls; mean age was 58 years. More than 90% of patients had ≥1 comorbidity elevating risk of influenza complications. Fifty percent of cases and 70% of controls were vaccinated. Vaccination was 51% (95% confidence interval [CI], 29%-65%) and 53% (95% CI, 11%-76%) effective in preventing hospitalization due to influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B virus infection, respectively. Vaccine was protective for all age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

During the 2015-2016 US influenza A(H1N1)pdm09-predominant season, we found that vaccination halved the risk of influenza-association hospitalization among adults, most of whom were at increased risk of serious influenza complications due to comorbidity or age.

Influenza vaccination coverage in a population-based cohort of Australian-born Aboriginal and non-Indigenous older adults

Background: There is limited information on vaccination coverage and characteristics associated with vaccine uptake in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander adults. We aimed to provide more current estimates of influenza vaccination coverage in Aboriginal adults. Methods: Self-reported vaccination status (n=559 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander participants, n=80,655 non-Indigenous participants) from the 45 and Up Study, a large cohort of adults aged 45 years or older, was used to compare influenza vaccination coverage in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander adults with coverage in non-Indigenous adults. Results: Of Aboriginal and non-Indigenous respondents aged 49 to <65 years, age-standardised influenza coverage was respectively 45.2% (95% CI 39.5–50.9%) and 38.5%, (37.9–39.0%), p-value for heterogeneity=0.02. Coverage for Aboriginal and non-Indigenous respondents aged ≥65 years was respectively 67.3% (59.9–74.7%) and 72.6% (72.2–73.0%), p-heterogeneity=0.16. Among Aboriginal adults, coverage was higher in obese than in healthy weight participants (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.38, 95%CI 1.44–3.94); in those aged <65 years with a medical risk factor than in those without medical risk factors (aOR=2.13, 1.37–3.30); and in those who rated their health as fair/poor compared to those who rated it excellent (aOR=2.57, 1.26–5.20). Similar associations were found among non-Indigenous adults. Conclusions: In this sample of adults ≥65 years, self-reported influenza vaccine coverage was not significantly different between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous adults whereas in those <65 years, coverage was higher among Aboriginal adults. Overall, coverage in the whole cohort was suboptimal. If these findings are replicated in other samples and in the Australian Immunisation Register, it suggests that measures to improve uptake, such as communication about the importance of influenza vaccine and more effective reminder systems, are needed among adults.

Exploring Disparities in Influenza Immunization for Older Women

OBJECTIVES

While women obtain most recommended preventive health interventions more often than men, evidence is mixed regarding influenza vaccination for older adults. Therefore, we evaluated sex differences in influenza vaccination among older adults.

DESIGN

Nationally representative cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

United States.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1 252 705 adults, aged 65 years and older, responding to 2013 to 2017 Medicare Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveys.

MEASUREMENTS

The dependent variable was Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set self-reported influenza immunization. The primary predictor was sex. Covariates included general health status, education, race/ethnicity, and Medicare Advantage (MA; managed care) vs Fee-for-Service (FFS) coverage.

RESULTS

After adjusting for health status and other sociodemographic factors, women's immunization was 2% lower than men's immunization in MA, with no significant overall sex difference in FFS. Women were immunized less often than men in 95% of MA health plans, with the largest gaps in low-immunizing plans. Further analyses revealed variation in sex differences by health status, education, and race/ethnicity in both MA and FFS. Notably in MA, women in poor health were immunized less often than men in similar health (-4%; P < .001). Black women were immunized much less often than black men in both MA and FFS (-5%; P < .001 for each). Hispanic women were immunized less often than Hispanic men in MA (-4%; P < .001) but not within FFS.

CONCLUSION

Women in MA experience small disparities overall in influenza immunization, with larger disparities for black and Hispanic women. Providers and MA plans should increase efforts to recommend and monitor immunization for older women, especially black and Hispanic women and those in poor health. Given the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality, equitable access to a critical preventive health service, such as influenza immunization, is crucial for all older adults.

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.

Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among English-Speaking Asian Americans

INTRODUCTION

English-speaking non-Hispanic Asians (Asians) in the U.S. include populations with multiple geographic origins and ethnicities (e.g., Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese). Health behaviors and outcomes can differ widely among Asian ethnicities, and highlight the importance of subgroup analysis. Aggregating Asians may mask differences in influenza vaccination across various ethnicities.

METHODS

Combined data from 2013 to 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a population-based, telephone survey of the non-institutionalized, U.S. population aged ≥18years, were analyzed in 2017 to assess influenza vaccination among Asians. Weighted proportions were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine independent associations between sociodemographic factors and receipt of influenza vaccination.

RESULTS

Influenza vaccination varied widely among Asian ethnicities, both nationally and by state. Overall, 42.1% of Asians reported having received an influenza vaccine, similar to vaccination among whites (42.4%). Coverage ranged from 36.1% among Koreans to 50.9% among Japanese. Factors independently associated with influenza vaccination among some or all Asian ethnicities included age (≥50 years), female, never married, high school or higher education, annual household income ≥$75,000, possession of medical insurance and personal healthcare provider, routine checkup in the previous year, and presence of certain chronic conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

Though Asians and whites had similar overall influenza vaccination coverage, differences existed between Asian ethnicities, both nationally and by state. This information may help community-based, state-level, and national-level public health agencies to support targeted approaches for outreach to these populations, such as improving cultural and linguistic access to care, to improve influenza vaccination.

An evaluation and update of methods for estimating the number of influenza cases averted by vaccination in the United States

INTRODUCTION

To evaluate the public health benefit of yearly influenza vaccinations, CDC estimates the number of influenza cases and hospitalizations averted by vaccine. Available input data on cases and vaccinations is aggregated by month and the estimation model is intentionally simple, raising concerns about the accuracy of estimates.

METHODS

We created a synthetic dataset with daily counts of influenza cases and vaccinations, calculated "true" averted cases using a reference model applied to the daily data, aggregated the data by month to simulate data that would actually be available, and evaluated the month-level data with seven test methods (including the current method). Methods with averted case estimates closest to the reference model were considered most accurate. To examine their performance under varying conditions, we re-evaluated the test methods when synthetic data parameters (timing of vaccination relative to cases, vaccination coverage, infection rate, and vaccine effectiveness) were varied over wide ranges. Finally, we analyzed real (i.e., collected by surveillance) data from 2010 to 2017 comparing the current method used by CDC with the best-performing test methods.

RESULTS

In the synthetic dataset (population 1 million persons, vaccination uptake 55%, seasonal infection risk without vaccination 12%, vaccine effectiveness 48%) the reference model estimated 28,768 averted cases. The current method underestimated averted cases by 9%. The two best test methods estimated averted cases with <1% error. These two methods also worked well when synthetic data parameters were varied over wide ranges (≤6.2% error). With the real data, these two methods estimated numbers of averted cases that are a median 8% higher than the currently-used method.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified two methods for estimating numbers of influenza cases averted by vaccine that are more accurate than the currently-used algorithm. These methods will help us to better assess the benefits of influenza vaccination.