Influenza immunization for HIV-infected persons in Los Angeles

We assessed the use of influenza vaccine in a cohort of HIV-infected patients during 1991 and 1992 in Los Angeles County. Influenza vaccination status and clinical and demographic data were obtained from medical records in three different outpatient clinics: a health maintenance organization (HMO), a public clinic and a private medical group. The overall proportion of patients immunized with influenza vaccine was 28%. Patients receiving medical care at the HMO were more likely to receive influenza vaccine (45%) than were patients at the public clinic (25%) or the private facility (13%). Higher immunization levels were also observed among patients with greater numbers of clinic visits for both years studied (p < 0.001). After we controlled for the number of outpatient visits, patients at the HMO and the public clinic were still more likely to receive influenza vaccine in both 1991 (adjusted relative risks 3.2 and 2.1, respectively) and 1992 (adjusted relative risks 1.7 and 1.8) compared with private clinic patients. Health-care providers should increase efforts to provide influenza vaccine to HIV-infected patients.