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During the 2023-24 respiratory virus season, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends influenza and COVID-19 vaccines for all persons aged ≥6 months, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine is recommended for persons aged ≥60 years (using shared clinical decision-making), and for pregnant persons. Data from the National Immunization Survey-Adult COVID Module, a random-digit-dialed cellular telephone survey of U.S. adults aged ≥18 years, are used to monitor influenza, COVID-19, and RSV vaccination coverage. By December 9, 2023, an estimated 42.2% and 18.3% of adults aged ≥18 years reported receiving an influenza and updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, respectively; 17.0% of adults aged ≥60 years had received RSV vaccine. Coverage varied by demographic characteristics. Overall, approximately 27% and 41% of adults aged ≥18 years and 53% of adults aged ≥60 years reported that they definitely or probably will be vaccinated or were unsure whether they would be vaccinated against influenza, COVID-19, and RSV, respectively. Strong provider recommendations for and offers of vaccination could increase influenza, COVID-19, and RSV vaccination coverage. Immunization programs and vaccination partners are encouraged to use these data to understand vaccination patterns and attitudes toward vaccination in their jurisdictions to guide planning, implementation, strengthening, and evaluation of vaccination activities., Competing Interests: All authors have completed and submitted the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors form for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest. No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Objectives. To explore previous COVID-19 diagnosis and COVID-19 vaccination status among US essential worker groups. Methods. We analyzed the US Census Household Pulse Survey (May 26-July 5, 2021), a nationally representative sample of adults aged 18 years and older. We compared currently employed essential workers working outside the home with those working at home using adjusted prevalence ratios. We calculated proportion vaccinated and intention to be vaccinated, stratifying by essential worker and demographic groups for those who worked or volunteered outside the home since January 1, 2021. Results. The proportion of workers with previous COVID-19 diagnosis was highest among first responders (24.9%) working outside the home compared with workers who did not (13.3%). Workers in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting had the lowest vaccination rates (67.5%) compared with all workers (77.8%). Those without health insurance were much less likely to be vaccinated across all worker groups. Conclusions. This study underscores the importance of improving surveillance to monitor COVID-19 and other infectious diseases among workers and identify and implement tailored risk mitigation strategies, including vaccination campaigns, for workplaces. ( Am J Public Health . 2022;112(11):1599-1610. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307010).

Background: Annual vaccination is the most effective strategy for preventing influenza. We assessed trends and demographic and access-to-care characteristics associated with place of vaccination in recent years., Methods: Data from the 2014-2018 National Internet Flu Survey were analyzed to assess trends in place of early-season influenza vaccination during the 2014-15 through 2018-19 seasons. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify factors independently associated with vaccination settings in the 2018-19 season., Results: Among vaccinated adults, the proportion vaccinated in medical (range: 49%-53%) versus nonmedical settings (range: 47%-51%) during the 2014-15 through 2018-19 seasons were similar. Among adults aged ≥18 years vaccinated early in the 2018-19 influenza season, a doctor's office was the most common place (34.4%), followed by pharmacies or stores (32.3%), and workplaces (15.0%). Characteristics significantly associated with an increased likelihood of receipt of vaccination in nonmedical settings among adults included household income ≥$50,000, having no doctor visits since July 1, 2018, or having a doctor visit but not receiving an influenza vaccination recommendation from the medical professional., Conclusions: Place of early-season influenza vaccination among adults who reported receiving influenza vaccination was stable over 5 recent seasons. Both medical and nonmedical settings were important places for influenza vaccination. Increasing access to vaccination services in medical and nonmedical settings should be considered as an important strategy for improving vaccination coverage., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: In the United States (U.S.), annual influenza vaccination has been recommended for all persons aged ≥6 months with the Healthy People 2020 coverage target of 70%. However, vaccination coverage has remained around 42-49% during the past eight influenza seasons. We sought to quantify influenza vaccination coverage and factors associated with vaccination in persons seeking outpatient medical care for an acute respiratory illness (ARI)., Methods: We enrolled outpatients aged ≥6 months with ARI from >50 U.S. clinics from 2011 to 2012 through 2018-2019 influenza seasons and tested for influenza with molecular assays. Vaccination status was based on documented receipt of the current season's influenza vaccine. We estimated vaccination coverage among influenza-negative study participants by study site, age, and season, and compared to state-level influenza coverage estimates in the general population based on annual immunization surveys. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine factors independently associated with receipt of influenza vaccines., Results: We enrolled 45,424 study participants with ARI who tested negative for influenza during the study period. Annual vaccination coverage among influenza-negative ARI patients and the general population in the participating states averaged 55% (range: 47-62%), and 52% (range: 46-54%), respectively. Among enrollees, coverage was highest among adults aged ≥65 years (82%; range, 80-85%) and lowest among adolescents aged 13-17 years (38%; range, 35-41%). Factors significantly associated with non-vaccination included non-White race, no college degree, exposure to cigarette smoke, absence of high-risk conditions, and not receiving prior season influenza vaccine., Conclusions: Influenza vaccination coverage over eight seasons among outpatients with non-influenza respiratory illness was slightly higher than coverage in the general population but 15% lower than national targets. Increased efforts to promote vaccination especially in groups with lower coverage are warranted to attain optimal health benefits of influenza vaccine., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To quantify the prevalence of parental vaccine hesitancy (VH) in the United States and examine the association of VH with sociodemographics and childhood influenza vaccination coverage., Methods: A 6-question VH module was included in the 2018 and 2019 National Immunization Survey-Flu, a telephone survey of households with children age 6 months to 17 years., Results: The percentage of children having a parent reporting they were "hesitant about childhood shots" was 25.8% in 2018 and 19.5% in 2019. The prevalence of concern about the number of vaccines a child gets at one time impacting the decision to get their child vaccinated was 22.8% in 2018 and 19.1% in 2019; the prevalence of concern about serious, long-term side effects impacting the parent's decision to get their child vaccinated was 27.3% in 2018 and 21.7% in 2019. Only small differences in VH by sociodemographic variables were found, except for an 11.9 percentage point higher prevalence of "hesitant about childhood shots" and 9.9 percentage point higher prevalence of concerns about serious, long-term side effects among parents of Black compared with white children. In both seasons studied, children of parents reporting they were "hesitant about childhood shots" had 26 percentage points lower influenza vaccination coverage compared with children of parents not reporting hesitancy., Conclusions: One in 5 children in the United States have a parent who is vaccine hesitant, and hesitancy is negatively associated with childhood influenza vaccination. Monitoring VH could help inform immunization programs as they develop and target methods to increase vaccine confidence and vaccination coverage., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Influenza vaccination is the primary way to prevent influenza, yet influenza vaccination coverage remains low in the United States. Previous studies have shown that children residing in rural areas have less access to healthcare and lower vaccination coverage for some vaccines. Influenza vaccination coverage among children 6 months-17 years by rural/urban residence during the 2011-12 through 2018-19 influenza seasons was examined using National Immunization Survey-Flu data. The Council of American Survey Research Organizations response rates for National Immunization Survey-Flu ranged from 48% to 65% (2011-12 through the 2017-18 seasons) for the landline sample and 20%-39% (2011-12 through the 2018-19 seasons) for the cellular telephone sample. Children residing in rural areas had influenza vaccination coverage that ranged from 7.9 (2012-13 season) to 12.6 (2016-17 season) percentage points lower than children residing in urban areas, and ranged from 4.5 (2012-13 season) to 7.4 (2016-17 season) percentage points lower than children residing in suburban areas. The differences in influenza vaccination coverage among rural, suburban, and urban children were consistent over the eight seasons studied. Lower influenza vaccination coverage was observed among rural children regardless of child's age, mother's education, household income, or number of children under 18 years of age in the household. Rural versus urban and suburban differences in influenza vaccination coverage remained statistically significant while adjusting for selected sociodemographic characteristics. A better understanding of the reasons for lower childhood influenza vaccination coverage for children in rural and suburban areas is needed., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective was to compare estimates of childhood influenza vaccination across 7 consecutive influenza seasons based on 2 survey systems., Methods: We analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and the National Immunization Survey-Flu (NIS-Flu) using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to estimate receipt, based on parental report, of at least 1 dose of influenza vaccine among children aged 6 months to 17 years., Results: We found no significant increasing trend in influenza vaccination coverage among children overall from 2012 to 2018 based on the NHIS or from 2012 to 2019 based on the NIS-Flu. We found 4 seasons with a significant increase in influenza vaccination coverage compared with the previous season (2012-2013 [NHIS, NIS-Flu], 2013-2014 [NIS-Flu], 2017-2018 [NHIS], and 2018-2019 [NIS-Flu]). As of the 2018-2019 season, based on NIS-Flu, influenza vaccination coverage was only 62.6%. Children with health conditions that put them at increased risk for complications from influenza had higher influenza vaccination coverage than children without these health conditions for all the seasons studied except 2014-2015. For all seasons studied, influenza vaccination coverage estimates for children were higher based on NIS-Flu data compared with NHIS data. Trends across seasons and differences in vaccination coverage between age groups were similar between the 2 surveys., Conclusions: Influenza vaccination coverage among children appears to have plateaued. Only about half of the children in the United States were vaccinated against influenza. Improvements in measurement of influenza vaccination and development and review of strategies to increase childhood influenza vaccination coverage are needed.

Background: Patient reminders are recommended to increase vaccination rates. The objectives of this study were to estimate the percentage of children 6 months-17 years for whom a patient reminder for influenza vaccination was received by a child's parent or guardian, estimate influenza vaccination coverage by receipt of a patient reminder, and identify factors associated with receipt of a patient reminder., Methods: National Immunization Survey-Flu (NIS-Flu) data for the 2013-14 influenza season were analyzed. Tests of association between patient reminders and demographic characteristics were conducted using Wald chi-square tests and pairwise comparison t-tests. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine variables independently associated with receiving a patient reminder., Results: Approximately 22% of children had a parent or guardian report receiving a patient reminder for influenza vaccination for their child, ranging from 12.9% in Idaho to 41.2% in Mississippi. Children with a patient reminder were more likely to be vaccinated compared with children without a patient reminder (73.7% versus 55.5%). In the multivariable model, reminder receipt was higher for children 6-23 months compared with children 13-17 years, black children compared with white children, and children whose parent completed the survey in English compared with children whose parent completed the survey in a language other than English or Spanish., Conclusions: Although patient reminders are associated with a higher likelihood of influenza vaccination, nationally, less than one-fourth of children had a parent report receiving one. Despite being based on parental report, with its limitations, this study suggests that increasing the number of parents who receive patient reminders for their children may improve vaccination coverage among children., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objectives: To determine the proportion of children whose parents prefer them to receive live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) or inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV), examine reasons for preferences, and determine what percentage of vaccinated children receive other than the preferred type of vaccine and why., Methods: Parental-reported data for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 influenza seasons from the National Immunization Survey-Flu (NIS-Flu), a random-digit-dialed, dual frame (landline and cellular telephone) survey of households with children, were analyzed. We calculated the proportions of vaccinated children aged 2-17 years whose parents preferred LAIV, IIV, or had no preference, and the proportions that were vaccinated with other than the preferred type of vaccine., Results: For the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, 55.2% and 53.7%, respectively, of vaccinated children had parents who reported no preference for either IIV or LAIV. The percentage who preferred LAIV was 22.7% and 21.7%, and IIV was 22.1% and 24.7%. The most common reason given by parents for preferring LAIV was the child's fear of needles (70.9%) and for preferring IIV was belief that the shot is more effective (29.0%). Approximately one-third of vaccinated children whose parents preferred LAIV received IIV only., Conclusions: The main finding of this study was that most parents do not have a vaccine type preference for their children. The lack of overwhelming preference is advantageous for the maintenance of vaccination coverage levels during times when one vaccine type is not available or not recommended such as in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons when there was a temporary recommendation not to administer LAIV., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: Staying home when sick can reduce the spread of influenza. The objectives of this study were to quantify the percentage of workers who had paid sick leave (PSL) benefits, examine sociodemographic characteristics that may be associated with having these benefits, and examine the association between having PSL benefits and use of sick days and influenza vaccination status., Methods: The public-use dataset from the 2009 National H1N1 Flu Survey (NHFS) were analyzed in 2017. Wald chi-square tests and t-tests were used to test for associations between having PSL benefits and sociodemographic characteristics and industry and occupation groups, the associations between having PSL benefits and seeking treatment when sick with influenza-like illness (ILI), and taking days off work when sick with ILI. Logistic regression was used to determine variables associated with having PSL benefits and the association between having PSL benefits and influenza vaccination status., Results: Sixty-one percent of employed adults reported having PSL benefits during the 2009-10 influenza season. Being younger, female, Hispanic, less educated, or a farm/blue collar worker were associated with reduced likelihood of having PSL benefits. Not having PSL benefits was associated with a lower likelihood of receiving an influenza vaccination and visiting a health professional when sick with ILI., Conclusions: The percentage of workers who have PSL benefits differs by sociodemographic characteristics and industry/occupation groups. Offering PSL benefits along with promoting influenza vaccination and encouraging employees with ILI to stay home can increase influenza vaccination coverage and help control the spread of influenza., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Reminders for influenza vaccination improve influenza vaccination coverage. The purpose of this study was to describe the receipt of reminders for influenza vaccination during the 2011-12 influenza season among US adults., Methods: We analyzed data from the March 2012 National Flu Survey (NFS), a random digit dial telephone survey of adults in the United States. Relative to July 1, 2011, respondents were asked whether they received a reminder for influenza vaccination and the source and type of reminder they received. The association between reminder receipt and demographic variables, and the association between influenza vaccination coverage and receipt of reminders were also examined., Results: Of adults interviewed, 17.2% reported receiving a reminder since July 1, 2011. More than half (65.2%) of the reminders were sent by doctor offices. Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks were more likely than non-Hispanic whites to report receiving a reminder. Adults who reported having a usual healthcare provider, health insurance, or a high-risk condition were more likely to report receiving reminders than the respective reference group. Adults reporting receipt of reminders were 1.15 times more likely (adjusted prevalence ratio, 95% CI: 1.06-1.25) to report being vaccinated for influenza than adults reporting not receiving reminders., Conclusions: Differences exist in receipt of influenza vaccination reminders among adults. Reminders are important tools to improve adult influenza vaccination coverage. Greater use of reminders may lead to higher rates of adult influenza vaccination coverage and reductions in influenza-related morbidity., (Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Since 2010, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that all persons aged ≥6months receive annual influenza vaccination., Methods: We analyzed data from the 2015 National Internet Flu Survey (NIFS), to assess knowledge and awareness of the influenza vaccination recommendation and early influenza vaccination coverage during the 2015-16 season among adults. Predictive marginals from a multivariable logistic regression model were used to identify factors independently associated with adults' knowledge and awareness of the vaccination recommendation and early vaccine uptake during the 2015-16 influenza season., Results: Among the 3301 respondents aged ≥18years, 19.6% indicated knowing that influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged ≥6months. Of respondents, 62.3% indicated awareness that there was a recommendation for influenza vaccination, but did not indicate correct knowledge of the recommended age group. Overall, 39.9% of adults aged ≥18years reported having an influenza vaccination. Age 65years and older, being female, having a college or higher education, not being in work force, having annual household income ≥$75,000, reporting having received an influenza vaccination early in the 2015-16 season, having children aged ≤17years in the household, and having high-risk conditions were independently associated with a higher correct knowledge of the influenza vaccination recommendation., Conclusions: Approximately 1 in 5 had correct knowledge of the recommendation that all persons aged ≥6months should receive an influenza vaccination annually, with some socio-economic groups being even less aware. Clinic based education in combination with strategies known to increase uptake of recommended vaccines, such as patient reminder/recall systems and other healthcare system-based interventions are needed to improve vaccination, which could also improve awareness., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background and Objectives: Surveillance for laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated pediatric deaths since 2004 has shown that most deaths occur in unvaccinated children. We assessed whether influenza vaccination reduced the risk of influenza-associated death in children and adolescents., Methods: We conducted a case-cohort analysis comparing vaccination uptake among laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated pediatric deaths with estimated vaccination coverage among pediatric cohorts in the United States. Case vaccination and high-risk status were determined by case investigation. Influenza vaccination coverage estimates were obtained from national survey data or a national insurance claims database. We estimated odds ratios from logistic regression comparing odds of vaccination among cases with odds of vaccination in comparison cohorts. We used Bayesian methods to compute 95% credible intervals (CIs) for vaccine effectiveness (VE), calculated as (1 - odds ratio) × 100., Results: From July 2010 through June 2014, 358 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported among children aged 6 months through 17 years. Vaccination status was determined for 291 deaths; 75 (26%) received vaccine before illness onset. Average vaccination coverage in survey cohorts was 48%. Overall VE against death was 65% (95% CI, 54% to 74%). Among 153 deaths in children with underlying high-risk medical conditions, 47 (31%) were vaccinated. VE among children with high-risk conditions was 51% (95% CI, 31% to 67%), compared with 65% (95% CI, 47% to 78%) among children without high-risk conditions., Conclusions: Influenza vaccination was associated with reduced risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated pediatric death. Increasing influenza vaccination could prevent influenza-associated deaths among children and adolescents., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Background: Influenza illnesses can result in missed days at work and societal costs, but influenza vaccination can reduce the risk of disease. Knowledge of vaccination coverage by industry and occupation can help guide prevention efforts and be useful during influenza pandemic planning., Methods: Data from 21 states using the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System industry-occupation module were analyzed. Influenza vaccination coverage was reported by select industry and occupation groups, including health care personnel (HCP) and other occupational groups who may have first priority to receive influenza vaccination during a pandemic (tier 1). The t tests were used to make comparisons between groups., Results: Influenza vaccination coverage varied by industry and occupation, with high coverage among persons in health care industries and occupations. Approximately half of persons classified as tier 1 received influenza vaccination, and vaccination coverage among tier 1 and HCP groups varied widely by state., Conclusions: This report points to the particular industries and occupations where improvement in influenza vaccination coverage is needed. Prior to a pandemic event, more specificity on occupational codes to define exact industries and occupations in each tier group would be beneficial in implementing pandemic influenza vaccination programs and monitoring the success of these programs., (Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Depending upon influenza vaccination history, children aged 6 months-8 years need one or two doses of influenza vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated. The objectives of this study were to quantify the percentage of children aged 6 months-8 years who were fully vaccinated against influenza based on parental report, overall, by state, and by sociodemographic characteristics, and to examine sociodemographic characteristics associated with being fully vaccinated., Methods: Data from the National Immunization Survey-Flu for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 influenza seasons were analyzed in 2015 using the Kaplan-Meier method to produce vaccination coverage estimates. Wald chi-square tests were used to test for bivariate associations, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to test for demographic characteristics independently associated with the child being fully vaccinated., Results: The percentages of children aged 6 months-8 years who were fully vaccinated during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 influenza seasons were 41.0% and 45.2%, respectively. Full vaccination varied widely by state and was more likely for children requiring only one dose. Based on the statistical models, children likely to be fully vaccinated were older, non-black, had a mother with an education >12 years, or lived in a high-income household., Conclusions: Most children in the U.S. are not fully vaccinated against influenza. Reminder systems and interventions that reduce or remove barriers to children receiving their second doses of influenza vaccine may improve full influenza vaccination coverage among all children., (Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Background: Provider recommendations and offers for influenza vaccination improve adult influenza vaccination coverage. Analysis was performed to describe receipt of influenza vaccination recommendations and offers among adults who visited a healthcare provider (HCP) during the 2011-2012 influenza season and describe differences between those receiving and not receiving recommendations and offers for influenza vaccination. Associations between influenza vaccination and receipt of recommendations and offers were examined., Methods: Respondents to a random digit dial telephone survey who had visited a HCP since July 1, 2011 were asked if they had received a recommendation for influenza vaccination. Those receiving a recommendation were asked if they received an offer for vaccination. Participants were characterized by demographic and access to health care variables. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationships between participant characteristics and recommendation alone, between participant characteristics and recommendation and offer, and between influenza vaccination and recommendation and offer., Results: Of those who reported visiting a HCP, 43.8% reported receiving a recommendation for influenza vaccination. Of those who reported receiving a recommendation, 76.6% reported receiving an offer for influenza vaccination. Persons with high-risk conditions and persons over 65 years were more likely to receive recommendations for influenza vaccination when compared to those without high-risk conditions and 18-49 year olds, respectively. Those reporting receipt of a recommendation and offer for influenza vaccination were 1.76 times more likely and those reporting receipt of a recommendation but no offer were 1.72 times more likely to report being vaccinated for influenza controlling for all patient characteristics., Conclusions: Less than half of respondents reported receipt of recommendations and offers of influenza vaccination during the 2011-2012 influenza season and disparities exist between groups. All healthcare providers seeing adults should recommend or offer influenza vaccination for all patients at every visit during the influenza season., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Influenza vaccination coverage in the United States remains below national targets and racial/ethnic differences persist., Objectives: To gain insights into potential strategies for improving influenza vaccination by examining reasons given for not receiving an influenza vaccination during the 2011-12 influenza season., Methods: Data from the National Flu Survey were analyzed for the 2011-12 influenza season. Tests of association between reasons for non-vaccination and demographic variables were conducted using Wald chi-square tests. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine variables independently associated with each reason for non-vaccination., Results: For adults and children, there were no racial/ethnic differences in the overall most frequent reason for non-vaccination: "unlikely to get very sick from the flu". Regarding adults, there were racial/ethnic differences in seven of the twelve reasons for non-vaccination in bivariate analyses, but only three remained significant in the multivariable models. Most notable of these was that blacks (40.9%) were more likely than Hispanics (27.0%), whites (25.2%), and adults of other/multiple races (21.2%) to report concerns about getting the flu from the vaccination and blacks (39.8%) were more likely than whites (28.4%) and adults of other/multiple races (29.3%) to report concerns about side effects from the vaccine. Regarding children, there were racial/ethnic differences for three of the reasons for non-vaccination, and these remained significant in the multivariable models. The most noteworthy of these was that more black (44.4%) than white (24.0%) and other/multiple race (19.0%) parents had concerns about their child getting the flu from the vaccination. Other demographic variables (age, gender income, MSA for adults and age and income for children) were also associated with reasons for non-vaccination based on the multivariable models., Conclusions: There are racial/ethnic group differences in reasons for not receiving an influenza vaccination; recognition of these differences should guide the choice of interventions to increase vaccination rates., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Studies are published on settings adults receive influenza vaccination but few have reported on settings children are vaccinated and how this might be changing over time or vary by socio-demographics., Methods: Data from the National Immunization Survey-Flu were analyzed to assess place of influenza vaccination among vaccinated children 6 months-17 years during the 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14 influenza seasons. The percentage of children vaccinated at each place was calculated overall and by age, race/ethnicity, income, and Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)., Results: The places children received influenza vaccination varied little over four recent influenza seasons. From the 2010-11 through 2013-14 influenza seasons the percentage of vaccinated children receiving influenza vaccination at a doctor's office was 64.1%, 65.1%, 65.3%, and 65.3%, respectively with no differences from one season to the next. Likewise, for vaccination at clinics or health centers (17.8%, 17.5%, 17.0%. 18.0%), health departments (3.2%, 3.6%, 3.0%, 2.8%), and other non-medical places (1.6%, 1.4%, 1.2%, 1.1%), there were no differences from one season to the next. There were some differences for vaccinations at hospitals, pharmacies, and schools. There was considerable variability in the place of influenza vaccination by age, race/ethnicity, income, and MSA. Fewer Hispanic children were vaccinated at a doctor's office than black, white, and other or multiple race children and fewer black children and children of other or multiple races were vaccinated at a doctor's office than white children. More children at or below the poverty level were vaccinated at a clinic or health center than all of the other income groups., Conclusion: Most vaccinated children receive their influenza vaccination at a doctor's office. Place of vaccination changed little over four recent influenza seasons. Large variability in place of vaccination exists by age, race/ethnicity, income, and MSA. Monitoring place of vaccination can help shape future immunization programs., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objective: Prevention of influenza among infants and young children is a public health priority because of their high risk for influenza-related complications. Depending on a child's age and previous influenza vaccination history, they are recommended to receive either 1 dose or 2 doses of influenza vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated against influenza for the season. We compared estimates of full (complete) influenza vaccination coverage of children 6 to 23 months across 10 consecutive influenza seasons (2002-2012), by race/ethnicity, age group, and by number of doses required to be fully vaccinated given child's vaccination history., Methods: National Immunization Survey data were used to estimate full influenza vaccination status among children 6 to 23 months on the basis of provider report. Estimates were computed by using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis methods., Results: Full influenza vaccination coverage among children 6 to 23 months increased from 4.8% in the 2002-2003 influenza season to 44.7% in the 2011-2012 season. In all 10 influenza seasons studied, non-Hispanic black children and Hispanic children had lower full influenza vaccination coverage than non-Hispanic white children. For all 10 influenza seasons, full influenza vaccination coverage was higher among children requiring only 1 dose compared with those requiring 2 doses., Conclusions: Less than half of children 6 to 23 months in the United States, and an even a smaller percentage of Hispanic and non-Hispanic black children, are fully vaccinated against influenza. More implementation of evidence-based strategies that increase the percentage of children who are fully vaccinated is needed., (Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Background: Influenza vaccines available for children in the United States include inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and live, attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). Objectives of this study were to quantify proportions of IIV and LAIV received by vaccinated children, and examine associations between vaccine type received and demographic characteristics., Methods: National Immunization Survey-Flu (NIS-Flu) parental reported data for the 2011-12 through 2013-14 influenza seasons were used to estimate proportions of vaccinated children 2-17 years who received IIV and LAIV. Tests of association between vaccination type and demographic variables were conducted using Wald chi-square tests and pair-wise comparison t-tests. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine variables independently associated with receipt of LAIV versus IIV., Results: In the 2013-14 season, 33.3% of vaccinated children received LAIV, similar to the proportion in the 2011-12 (32.2%) and 2012-13 (32.1%) seasons. Across all seasons studied, the strongest observed association was between vaccination type and child's age, with children 2-8 years (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio (95% confidence interval) [APR(95% CI)] 1.41(1.27-1.56), 1.46(1.34-1.59), and 1.50(1.38-1.63) for 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14) and 9-12 years (APR(95% CI) 1.37(1.23-1.54), 1.38(1.26-1.51), and 1.50(1.38-1.63) for 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14) being more likely to have received LAIV than children 13-17 years. Among those vaccinated, whites were more likely to have received LAIV compared with blacks (APR(95% CI) 1.19(1.05-1.35), 1.24(1.10-1.39), and 1.22(1.11-1.34) for 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14), and children living above poverty (annual income >$75,000) were more likely to have received LAIV than those living at or below poverty (APR(95% CI) 1.43(1.23-1.67), 1.13(1.02-1.26), and 1.16(1.06-1.28) for 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14)., Conclusions: This study provides a baseline of the extent and patterns of LAIV uptake that can be used to measure the impact of relevant public health policy. Additional research is needed to investigate parental and provider preferences and barriers regarding LAIV., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides vaccines at no cost to children who are Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN), or underinsured and vaccinated at Federally Qualified Health Centers or Rural Health Clinics. The objective of this study was to compare influenza vaccination coverage of VFC-entitled to privately insured children in the United States, nationally, by state, and by selected socio-demographic variables., Methods: Data from the National Immunization Survey-Flu (NIS-Flu) surveys were analyzed for the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 influenza seasons for households with children 6 months-17 years. VFC-entitlement and private insurance status were defined based upon questions asked of the parent during the telephone interview. Influenza vaccination coverage estimates of children VFC-entitled versus privately insured were compared by t-tests, both nationally and within state, and within selected socio-demographic variables., Results: For both seasons studied, influenza coverage for VFC-entitled children did not significantly differ from coverage for privately insured children (2011-2012: 52.0%±1.9% versus 50.7%±1.2%; 2012-2013: 56.0%±1.6% versus 57.2%±1.2%). Among VFC-entitled children, uninsured children had lower coverage (2011-2012: 38.9%±4.7%; 2012-2013: 44.8%±3.5%) than Medicaid-eligible (2011-2012: 55.2%±2.1%; 2012-2013: 58.6%±1.9%) and AI/AN children (2011-2012: 54.4%±11.3%; 2012-2013: 54.6%±7.0%). Significant differences in vaccination coverage among VFC-entitled and privately insured children were observed within some subgroups of race/ethnicity, income, age, region, and living in a metropolitan statistical area principle city., Conclusions: Although finding few differences in influenza vaccination coverage among VFC-entitled versus privately insured children was encouraging, nearly half of all children were not vaccinated for influenza and coverage was particularly low among uninsured children. Additional public health interventions are needed to ensure that more children are vaccinated such as a strong recommendation from health care providers, utilization of immunization information systems, provider reminders, standing orders, and community-based interventions such as educational activities and expanded access to vaccination services., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We compared estimates of childhood influenza vaccination coverage by health status, age, and racial/ethnic group across eight consecutive influenza seasons (2004 through 2012) based on two survey systems to assess trends in childhood influenza vaccination coverage in the U.S., Methods: We used National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and National Immunization Survey-Flu (NIS-Flu) data to estimate receipt of at least one dose of influenza vaccination among children aged 6 months to 17 years based on parental report. We computed estimates using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis methods., Results: Based on the NHIS, overall influenza vaccination coverage with at least one dose of influenza vaccine among children increased from 16.2% during the 2004-2005 influenza season to 47.1% during the 2011-2012 influenza season. Children with health conditions that put them at high risk for complications from influenza had higher influenza vaccination coverage than children without these health conditions for all the seasons studied. In seven of the eight seasons studied, there were no significant differences in influenza vaccination coverage between non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white children. Influenza vaccination coverage estimates for children were slightly higher based on NIS-Flu data compared with NHIS data for the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 influenza seasons (4.1 and 4.4 percentage points higher, respectively); both NIS-Flu and NHIS estimates had similar patterns of decreasing vaccination coverage with increasing age., Conclusions: Although influenza vaccination coverage among children continued to increase, by the 2011-2012 influenza season, only slightly less than half of U.S. children were vaccinated against influenza. Much improvement is needed to ensure all children aged ≥ 6 months are vaccinated annually against influenza.

Researchers strive to design and implement high-quality surveys to maximize the utility of the data collected. The definitions of quality and usefulness, however, vary from survey to survey and depend on the analytic needs. Survey teams must evaluate the trade-offs of various decisions, such as when results are needed and their required level of precision, in addition to practical constraints like budget, before finalizing the design. Characteristics within the concept of fit for purpose (FfP) can provide the framework for considering the trade-offs. Furthermore, this tool can enable an evaluation of quality for the resulting estimates. Implementation of a FfP framework in this context, however, is not straightforward. In this article, we provide the reader with a glimpse of a FfP framework in action for obtaining estimates on early season influenza vaccination coverage estimates and on knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and barriers related to influenza and influenza prevention among civilian noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 years and older in the United States. The result is the National Internet Flu Survey (NIFS), an annual, two-week internet survey sponsored by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition to critical design decisions, we use the established NIFS FfP framework to discuss the quality of the NIFS in meeting the intended objectives. We highlight aspects that work well and other survey traits requiring further evaluation. Differences found in comparing the NIFS to the National Flu Survey, the National Health Interview Survey, and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System are discussed via their respective FfP characteristics. The findings presented here highlight the importance of the FfP framework for designing surveys, defining data quality, and providing a set a metrics used to advertise the intended use of the survey data and results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Influenza vaccination can prevent influenza and potentially serious influenza-related complications. Although the single best way to prevent influenza is annual vaccination, everyday preventive actions, including good hygiene, health, dietary, and social habits, might help, too. Several preventive measures are recommended, including: avoiding close contact with people who are sick; staying home when sick; covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; washing your hands often; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; and practicing other good health habits like cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, getting plenty of sleep, and drinking plenty of fluids. Understanding public acceptance and current usage of these preventive behaviors can be useful for planning both seasonal and pandemic influenza prevention campaigns. This study estimated the percentage of adults in the United States who reported practicing preventive behaviors to avoid catching or spreading influenza, and explored associations of reported behaviors with sociodemographic factors. Methods: We analyzed data from 2015 National Internet Flu Survey, a nationally representative probability-based Internet panel survey of the non-institutionalized U.S. population ≥18 years. The self-reported behaviors used to avoid catching or spreading influenza were grouped into four and three non-mutually exclusive subgroups, respectively. Weighted proportions were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted prevalence differences and to determine independent associations between sociodemographic characteristics and preventive behavior subgroups. Results: Common preventive behaviors reported were: 83.2% wash hands often, 80.0% cover coughs and sneezes, 78.2% stay home if sick with a respiratory illness, 64.4% avoid people sick with a respiratory illness, 51.7% use hand sanitizers, 50.2% get treatment as soon as possible, and 49.8% report getting the influenza vaccination. Race/ethnicity, gender, age, education, income, region, receipt of influenza vaccination, and household size were associated with use of preventive behaviors after controlling for other factors. Conclusion: Many adults in the United States reported using preventive behaviors to avoid catching or spreading influenza. Though vaccination is the most important tool available to prevent influenza, the addition of preventive behaviors might play an effective role in reducing or slowing transmission of influenza and complement prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]