Racial Disparities in Influenza Hospitalizations and Vaccination Rates

Racial and ethnic disparities persist with respect to severity and vaccination coverage. influenzaaccording to the latest CDC Weekly reports of morbidity and mortality.

Characterized as a contagious respiratory disease, CDC estimates that influenza will cause 9 to 41 million illnesses, 140,000 to 710,000 hospitalizations, and 12,000 to 52,000 deaths each year from 2010 to 2020. I was. Some racial and ethnic minority groups have historically had higher rates of severe influenza and lower rates of vaccination against the disease compared to white individuals, researchers note. .

“Vaccination provides important protection against influenza illness and its potential complications,” they explained. “For example, during the 2019-20 season, influenza vaccination prevented an estimated 7.5 million influenza illnesses, 105,000 influenza-related hospitalizations, and 6,300 influenza-related deaths.”

The authors conducted analyzes to further investigate influenza hospitalization and vaccination rates by race and ethnicity from 2010–2011 to the 2021–2022 season. They also investigated influenza vaccination rates stratified by race and ethnicity, health care access variables for the 2021–2022 season, and possible reasons for the observed disparities.

The analysis is based on the number of laboratory We derived data from population-based surveillance of confirmed influenza-related hospitalizations in . ) and influenza vaccination coverage data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for the 2010–2011 to 2021–2022 influenza seasons.

“BRFSS is a state-based random-dial mobile and landline survey that collects information on a range of health conditions and risk behaviors from one randomly selected adult 18 years of age or older,” the authors explained. doing.

From 2009-2010 to 2021-2022 (excluding 2020-2021), age-adjusted influenza-related hospitalization rates per 100,000 population were shown to be higher among non-Hispanic blacks (blacks) (rate, 78.2; rate ratio [RR]1.8), Native American or Alaska Native (AI/AN) (rate, 54.6; RR, 1.3), and Hispanic (rate, 50.3; RR, 1.2) adults compared with white adults (rate, 43.0). By comparison, Asian or Pacific Islander (API) adults had a lower rate (rate 34.5).

Some variation in age-adjusted influenza-related hospitalization rates per 100,000 population was quoted by influenza season.

• During most influenza seasons, age-adjusted hospitalization rates were highest among black adults and 1.5 to 2.4 times higher than those among white adults.
• During the 2011-2012 and 2021-2022 seasons, influenza-related hospitalization rates were highest among AI/AN adults, with age-adjusted hospitalization rates 2.7 times higher than among white adults.
• Age-adjusted hospitalization rates for Hispanic adults were 2.1 times higher than those for white adults in 2009-2010 and 2021-2022.
• In all seasons except 2011–2012, API adults had the lowest hospitalization rates among all racial and ethnic groups, ranging from 60% to 90% for white adults.

Overall, vaccination coverage for the 2021-2022 influenza season was 49.4% among adults and varied by race and ethnicity. Specifically, influenza vaccination rates for the 2021-2022 influenza season are Hispanic (37.9%), AI/AN (40.9%), Black (42.0%), and Other/Multiracial (42.6%). showed a low vaccination rate among adults. Among Caucasian (53.9%) and non-Hispanic Asian (Asian) (54.2%) adults.

In addition, we found consistently higher coverage for white and Asian adults compared to black and Hispanic adults after the 2010–2011 season. During the past year, racial and ethnic disparities in vaccination coverage were reported between those with and without health insurance, private health care providers, and those undergoing routine health examinations.

Compared with white adults, Hispanic adults are less likely to have health insurance, and Hispanic, AI/AN, multiethnic adults, and adults of other races are less likely to have private health care in the past year. They were less likely to receive a donor or health checkup.

Influenza vaccination coverage is higher than that of blacks, Hispanics, AI/ANs, and multiethnics among adults with health insurance, private health care providers, and routine physical examinations in the past year, and among most age and education groups. Caucasian adults remained higher. adults and adults of other races.

In response to the findings, the researchers said healthcare providers should assess a patient’s vaccination status at every medical visit and offer all recommended vaccines.

“Coordinated and programmatic efforts to deliver influenza vaccination through non-traditional settings and influenza vaccination to prevent illness, hospitalization, and death among racial and ethnic minority communities. National and community-level efforts to raise awareness of the importance can help address barriers to access to healthcare: Improving vaccine reliability and reducing influenza vaccination coverage and disease severity. reduce inequality,” they concluded.

reference

Black CL, O’Halloran A, Hung M, et al. Vital Signs: Influenza Hospitalization and Vaccination Rates by Race and Ethnicity—United States, 2009-10 to 2021-22 influenza season. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. Published online October 18, 2022. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7143e1