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Family matters: influenza vaccination uptake and associated factors in children aged 6 months-6 years
Shirley Shapiro Ben David1,2, Shiraz Vered3, Limor Adler1,2
1Maccabi Healthcare Services, Division of Health, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Insights
Parental influenza vaccination is the strongest predictor of child vaccination. A family-centered approach can improve pediatric flu vaccine uptake and community immunity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Vaccinology
- Public Health
Background:
- Influenza presents significant health risks for young children, increasing their vulnerability to severe complications.
- Despite the availability of effective influenza vaccines, vaccination rates in children remain suboptimal.
- Identifying predictors of influenza vaccine uptake is crucial for improving pediatric immunization coverage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key predictors of influenza vaccine uptake in children aged 6 months to 6 years.
- To inform strategies for enhancing pediatric influenza vaccination rates.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study utilizing electronic medical records from Maccabi Healthcare Services in Israel.
- Logistic regression analysis to determine factors associated with influenza vaccine uptake.
- Data included demographics, vaccination status, comorbidities, healthcare utilization, and parental vaccination information.
Main Results:
- Only 14.3% of 293,078 children aged 6 months to 6 years received the influenza vaccine during the 2022-2023 season.
- Parental vaccination status was the strongest predictor (OR 41.86), followed by higher socioeconomic status (OR 2.29) and frequent healthcare utilization (OR 2.09).
- Children with parents who smoked or belonged to minority populations had lower vaccination rates.
Conclusions:
- Parental vaccination status significantly influences child influenza vaccination rates.
- A family-centered vaccination promotion strategy can enhance vaccine coverage in young children.
- Improved pediatric vaccination contributes to better health outcomes and stronger community immunity.
Background:
Influenza poses significant health risks to young children, who are more vulnerable to severe complications. Despite effective vaccines, influenza vaccination rates among children are suboptimal. This study aims to identify the key predictors of influenza vaccine uptake among children aged 6 months to 6 years.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study used data from Maccabi Healthcare Services in Israel. Electronic medical records provided demographics, vaccination status, comorbidities, healthcare use, and parental vaccination. Logistic regression identified factors associated with influenza vaccine uptake.
Results:
Among 293,078 children aged 6 months to 6 years during the 2022-2023 flu season, only 41,885(14.3%) received the influenza vaccine. Patients with higher socioeconomic status were more often vaccinated (51.1% vs. 26.4%, p < 0.001). Parental smoking was inversely associated with more non-smoking parents in the vaccinated group (72.6%) compared to the unvaccinated (66.1%, p < 0.001). The factor most strongly associated with child vaccination was parental vaccination status (OR 41.86, 95% CI [40.54-43.22], p < 0.001). Other significant predictors were higher socioeconomic status (OR = 2.29, 95% CI [2.15-2.43], p < 0.001) and frequent healthcare utilization, such as a high rate of doctor visits during the preceding year (four or more visits: OR = 2.09, 95%, CI [1.90-2.29], p < 0.001). Conversely, children from minority populations and those with parents who smoked were less likely to be vaccinated (one smoking parent, OR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.82-0.88], p < 0.001; and two smoking parents, OR = 0.80, 95% CI [0.74-0.87], p < 0.001). For children aged 18 months to 6 years (n = 247,381), vaccination in the previous year was also a significant predictor (OR 10.35, 95% CI [9.97-10.74]).
Conclusion:
The study highlights the critical role of parental vaccination status in influencing child vaccination rates. A family-centered approach to vaccination promotion can enhance vaccine coverage among young children, contributing to better health outcomes and robust community immunity.
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