Disparities and Trends in Routine Adult Vaccination Rates Among Disaggregated Asian American Subgroups, National...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Vaccination is crucial for disease prevention, yet uptake varies across populations.
• Little is known about vaccination rates among disaggregated Asian American subgroups.
• Culturally tailored messaging may enhance vaccination coverage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and compare vaccination rates for key vaccines among distinct Asian American subgroups.
• To analyze vaccination trends within these subgroups from 2006 to 2018.
• To identify factors associated with lower vaccine uptake.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the National Health Interview Survey (2015-2018, n=188,250) including Chinese, Asian Indian, Filipino, and other Asian adults.
• Comparison with non-Hispanic White adults (n=172,085) for six vaccines: HPV, hepatitis B, pneumococcal, influenza, tetanus, and shingles.
• Multivariable logistic regression and Joinpoint regression used to analyze rates, trends, and associated factors, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic variables.

Main Results:

• Asian subgroups had lower rates for shingles, tetanus, and pneumococcal vaccines compared to non-Hispanic Whites.
• Influenza and hepatitis B vaccination rates were similar or higher in Asian subgroups.
• Significant variations existed within Asian subgroups, with Asian Indian women showing particularly low human papillomavirus vaccination rates. Foreign-born individuals generally had lower rates for most vaccines.
• Male sex, lower education/income, lack of insurance, and infrequent doctor visits were linked to lower vaccine uptake.

Conclusions:

• Vaccination rates and trends demonstrate significant heterogeneity across Asian American subgroups.
• Targeted, culturally sensitive communication and interventions are essential to improve vaccine coverage.
• Addressing socioeconomic and demographic factors is crucial for reducing vaccine disparities.