Timeliness of pediatric influenza vaccination compared with seasonal influenza activity in an urban community, 2004-2008

A.M. Hofstetter, K. Natarajan, D. Rabinowitz, R.A. Martinez, D. Vawdrey, S. Arpadi and M.S. Stockwell

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 7, e50-e58

Abstract: Objectives. We assessed pediatric influenza vaccination in relation to community influenza activity. Methods. We examined seasonal influenza vaccination in 34 012 children aged 6 months through 18 years from 5 academically affiliated clinics in northern Manhattan, New York (an urban low-income community) during the 2004-2008 seasons using hospital and city immunization registries. We calculated the cumulative number of administered influenza vaccine doses and proportion of children with any (≥ 1 dose) or full (1-2 doses per age recommendations) vaccination at the onset and peak of community polymerase chain reaction-confirmed influenza activity according to state surveillance reports and by March 31 each season. Results. Influenza vaccine administration began before October 1, peaked before influenza activity onset, and declined gradually over each season. Coverage at influenza activity onset, peak, and by March 31 increased over the 5 seasons. However, most children lacked full vaccination at these time points, particularly adolescents, minorities, and those requiring 2 doses. Conclusions. Despite early initiation of influenza vaccination, few children were fully vaccinated when influenza began circulating. Interventions should address factors negatively affecting timely influenza vaccination, especially in high-risk populations. Copyright © 2012 by the American Public Health Association®.

Keywords: influenza vaccine, adolescent; article; child; community care; comparative study; female; human; immunology; infant; influenza; male; minority group; multicenter study; pediatrics; poverty; preschool child; register; retrospective study; season; statistics; time; United States; urban population; vaccination, Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Community Health Services; Female; Humans; Infant; Influenza Vaccines; Influenza, Human; Male; Minority Groups; New York City; Pediatrics; Poverty; Registries; Retrospective Studies; Seasons; Time Factors; Urban Population; Vaccination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301351_6

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301351

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