title: Influenza vaccination coverage of children aged 6 to 23 months: the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 influenza seasons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Beginning in 2002 the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices encouraged, when feasible, annual influenza vaccination of all children aged 6 to 23 months and household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children < 2 years of age.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to report influenza vaccination coverage for the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 influenza seasons among children aged 6 to 23 months according to demographic and immunization-provider characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 2003 and 2004 National Immunization Survey were analyzed. Two measures of childhood influenza vaccination are reported: receipt of > or = 1 influenza vaccination and full vaccination (ie, receipt of the appropriate number of doses on the basis of previous vaccination history). chi2 tests and logistic-regression analyses to test for associations between influenza vaccination status and demographic characteristics were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 influenza seasons only 7.4% and 17.5%, respectively, of children aged 6 to 23 months received > or = 1 influenza vaccination, whereas only 4.4% and 8.4%, respectively, were fully vaccinated. In both seasons, adjusted influenza vaccination coverage was significantly lower among children living below the poverty level; non-Hispanic black children; older children; children with less-educated mothers; children vaccinated only at public clinics; and children not residing in a metropolitan statistical area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During the first 2 years of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' encouragement for children aged 6 to 23 months to receive influenza vaccination, coverage was low, with significant demographic differences in receipt of vaccination. Beginning with the 2004-2005 influenza season, they replaced the encouragement with a recommendation that children aged 6 to 23 months receive annual influenza vaccination. Substantial work remains to fully and equitably implement this new recommendation and ensure vaccination with 2 doses for previously unvaccinated children.
authors.affiliation: National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. afz5@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Tammy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Santibanez
authors.forename: Jeanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Santoli
authors.forename: Carolyn B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Bridges
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Euler
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007223:Infant; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012621:Seasons; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines