Influenza vaccination coverage among children with asthma--United States, 2004-05 influenza season

In 2005, approximately 8.9% (6.5 million) of U.S. children aged <18 years were reported to have current asthma. Children with asthma are at high risk for complications from influenza, and influenza vaccination has been determined to safely and effectively reduce rates of influenza in these children. Since its establishment in 1964, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that all children with asthma aged > or =6 months receive vaccination with inactivated influenza vaccine during each influenza season; however, national influenza vaccination coverage rates specifically for children with asthma have not been determined. Previous studies have assessed influenza vaccination rates in children with asthma at the local level using health maintenance organization and clinician group-practice information, with estimates ranging from 10% to 43% for various influenza seasons. Another study used Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to estimate influenza vaccination coverage in children aged 2-17 years with one or more conditions putting them at high risk for complications from influenza (including asthma, although asthma was not assessed separately); in that study, the national rate was estimated at 34.8% for the 2004-05 influenza season (based on a sample size of 685, which included all states and the District of Columbia [DC]). To estimate national influenza vaccination coverage rates among children aged 2-17 years with current asthma, CDC analyzed data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). This report describes the results of that analysis and provides the first national estimates of influenza vaccination coverage among children with asthma. The findings indicated that although children with current asthma were more likely to receive influenza vaccination than children without current asthma, the vaccination coverage rate among children with asthma was low, at 29.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 24.5-33.9). These findings underscore the need to increase influenza vaccination coverage in children with asthma aged 2-17 years by identifying and overcoming barriers to vaccination.