Variations in influenza vaccination among the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To identify unique, mutually exclusive population segments whose members share characteristics associated with likelihood of influenza vaccination.


METHODS
Data from 30,668 elderly participants in the 1999 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems was analyzed using classification and regression tree analysis.


RESULTS
Eleven subgroups were identified: Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics with no recent checkup had the lowest prevalence estimate (28.1%), whereas married white persons aged 75 plus with a recent checkup had the highest (80.6%).


CONCLUSIONS
Influenza vaccination varies greatly according to preventive medical care use and race/ethnicity, factors that are amenable to targeted outreach efforts.
Lemon
Stephenie C
SC
Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. Stephenie.Lemon@umassmed.edu
Rakowski
William
W
Clark
Melissa A
MA
Roy
Jason
J
Friedmann
Peter D
PD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D007252:Influenza Vaccines