Open AccessRacial Similarities in Response to Standardized Offer of Influenza Vaccination
Author(s) -
Schwartz Kendra L.,
Neale Anne Victoria,
Northrup Justin,
Monsur Joseph,
Patel Divya A.,
Tobar Rodrigo,
Wortley Pascale M.
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.1525-1497.2006.00401.x
Subject(s) - medicine , vaccination , odds ratio , confidence interval , influenza vaccine , demography , ethnic group , african american , immunization , family medicine , gerontology , immunology , antibody , history , ethnology , sociology , anthropology
BACKGROUND: Despite known benefits of influenza vaccination and coverage by Medicare Part B, elderly minority patients are less likely to receive influenza vaccination than whites. OBJECTIVES: To test whether a nonphysician‐initiated standardized offer of influenza vaccination to all elderly primary care patients would result in similar proportions of African‐American and white patients accepting vaccine. DESIGN: In 7 metropolitan Detroit primary care practices during the 2003 influenza vaccination season, medical assistants assessed influenza immunization status of all patients 65 years and older and collected limited demographic data. Eligible patients were offered vaccination. MEASUREMENTS: Proportion of patients accepting influenza vaccination by race and predictors of vaccine acceptance. RESULTS: Four hundred and fifty‐four eligible patients with complete racial information were enrolled: 40% African American, 52% white, 8% other race/ethnicity. Similar proportions of African Americans and whites had already received the 2003 vaccine (11.6% and 11.0%, respectively) or stated vaccination as the reason for visit (23.8% and 30.5%, respectively). Among the remainder, there also were similar proportions who accepted vaccination: 68.9% white and 62.1% African‐American patients. History of previous vaccination was the only statistically significant predictor of vaccine acceptance (odds ratio [OR] 8.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.17, 17.91, P <.001). After adjusting for history of previous vaccination, age, gender, and education, the odds of vaccine acceptance were no different for whites and African Americans (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.63, 2.29, P =.57). CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination acceptance differed little between African‐American and white elderly patients. Using nonphysician personnel to identify and offer influenza vaccine to eligible patients is easily accomplished in primary care offices and has the potential to eliminate racial disparities in influenza vaccination.