Patterns of influenza vaccination among stroke survivors

Influenza remains a leading cause of vaccine-preventable death in the USA. Vaccination rates in the eligible general population are well below targets, and rates in stroke survivors are unknown.

We assessed the prevalence and independent predictors of influenza vaccination among stroke survivors using the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2006 survey.

There were a total of 706 self-reported strokes (3%) out of a total of 24,275 adults completing the survey (mean age 67 +/- 15 years). The prevalence of influenza vaccination over the previous year among stroke survivors was 54.3%. Factors independently associated with vaccination were increasing age (odds ratio = 1.04 per year, 95% CI: 1.02-1.06), Black race (odds ratio = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.33-0.82 compared to white race), and health insurance coverage (odds ratio = 3.5, 95% CI: 1.37-9.05).

In 2006, only about half the stroke survivors in the USA received influenza vaccinations, leaving substantial room for improvement. Targeting stroke survivors in minority groups or without health insurance coverage may help bridge this gap.