Open AccessBRIEF REPORT: Influenza Vaccination and Health Care Workers in the United States
Author(s) -
King William D.,
Woolhandler Steffie J.,
Brown Arleen F.,
Jiang Luohua,
Kevorkian Kristine,
Himmelstein David U.,
Bor David H.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2006.00325.x
Subject(s) - medicine , vaccination , health care , odds ratio , logistic regression , national health interview survey , confidence interval , family medicine , receipt , odds , psychological intervention , environmental health , demography , population , nursing , immunology , sociology , world wide web , computer science , economics , economic growth
OBJECTIVE: To determine influenza vaccination rates among U.S. health care workers (HCWs) by demographic and occupational categories. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: We analyzed data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Weighted multivariable analyses were used to evaluate the association between HCW occupation and other variables potentially related to receipt of influenza vaccination. HCWs were categorized based on standard occupational classifications as health‐diagnosing professions, health‐assessing professions, health aides, health technicians; or health administrators. MAIN INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Demographic characteristics and occupation category. MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLES: Receipt of influenza vaccination within 12 months of survey. ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics and weighted multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: There were 1,651 HCWs in the final sample. The overall influenza vaccination rate for HCWs was 38%. After weighted multivariable analyses, HCWs who were under 50 (odds ratio [OR] 0.67%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50 to 0.89, compared with HCWs 50 to 64), black (OR 0.57 95% CI: 0.42, 0.78, compared with white HCWs), or were health aides (OR 0.73%, 95% CI: 0.51, 1.04, compared with health care administrators and administrative support staff) had lower odds of having been vaccinated against influenza. CONCLUSIONS: The overall influenza vaccination rate among HCWs in the United States is low. Workers who are under 50, black, or health aides have the lowest rates of vaccinations. Interventions seeking to improve HCW vaccination rates may need to target these specific subgroups.