Brief report: Influenza vaccination and health care workers in the United States.
OBJECTIVE
To determine influenza vaccination rates among U.S. health care workers (HCWs) by demographic and occupational categories.


METHODS
We analyzed data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Weighted multivariable analyses were used to evaluate the association between HCW occupation and other variables potentially related to receipt of influenza vaccination. HCWs were categorized based on standard occupational classifications as health-diagnosing professions, health-assessing professions, health aides, health technicians; or health administrators.


METHODS
Demographic characteristics and occupation category.


METHODS
Receipt of influenza vaccination within 12 months of survey.


METHODS
Descriptive statistics and weighted multivariable logistic regression.


RESULTS
There were 1,651 HCWs in the final sample. The overall influenza vaccination rate for HCWs was 38%. After weighted multivariable analyses, HCWs who were under 50 (odds ratio [OR] 0.67%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50 to 0.89, compared with HCWs 50 to 64), black (OR 0.57 95% CI: 0.42, 0.78, compared with white HCWs), or were health aides (OR 0.73%, 95% CI: 0.51, 1.04, compared with health care administrators and administrative support staff) had lower odds of having been vaccinated against influenza.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall influenza vaccination rate among HCWs in the United States is low. Workers who are under 50, black, or health aides have the lowest rates of vaccinations. Interventions seeking to improve HCW vaccination rates may need to target these specific subgroups.
King
William D
WD
CARE Center, Department of Infectious Disease, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. wking@mednet.ucla.edu
Woolhandler
Steffie J
SJ
Brown
Arleen F
AF
Jiang
Luohua
L
Kevorkian
Kristine
K
Himmelstein
David U
DU
Bor
David H
DH
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006281:Health Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001741:Black or African American
D007252:Influenza Vaccines