Less than half of children aged 6-23 months are vaccinated for influenza in the United States, according to an analysis of data obtained via the 2003-2013 National Immunization Survey.
The researchers analyzed providers’ reports of influenza vaccinations, received as one or two doses by children aged 6-23 months. The age group studied is at highest risk of influenza-related complications and was the first group of children for which the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended influenza vaccination, regardless of an individual’s medical condition.
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Small child receiving a vaccine
A child’s age was defined by his or her age on Nov. 1 of each influenza season under study. Two full calendar years of data files were combined to enable analysis of full influenza seasons, which cover parts of 2 consecutive calendar years. The percentages of children requiring two doses to be considered fully vaccinated were based on the dosage recommendations for each flu season.
Overall, flu vaccination coverage increased, reaching 45% in the 2011-2012 flu season, up from 5% during the 2002-2003 flu season. Within each racial/ethnic group examined, influenza vaccination coverage also grew; however, lower percentages of non-Hispanic black children and Hispanic children were vaccinated than of non-Hispanic white children during all 10 of the flu seasons studied. Coverage ranged from 24% in Mississippi to 72% in Massachusetts.
“Despite the increase, the majority of children 6-23 months in the United States were not fully vaccinated against influenza,” said Tammy A. Santibanez, Ph.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and her colleagues.
Among other findings consistent throughout each flu season examined was that full influenza vaccination coverage was higher among children requiring only one dose of a flu vaccine, compared with those requiring two doses of a flu vaccine.
“Prevention of influenza among infants and young children is a public health priority because of their high risk for influenza-related complications,” wrote Dr. Santibanez and her colleagues. “Appropriate implementation of evidence-based strategies is needed to increase the percentage of children who are fully vaccinated.”
Read the study in Pediatrics (doi: 10.1542/peds.2015.3280).