title: Vaccination rates among the general adult population and high-risk groups in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In order to adequately assess the effectiveness of vaccination in helping to control vaccine-preventable infectious disease, it is important to identify the adherence and uptake of risk-based recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current project includes data from five consecutive datasets of the National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS): 2007 through 2011. The NHWS is an annual, Internet-based health questionnaire, administered to a nationwide sample of adults (aged 18 or older) which included items on vaccination history as well as high-risk group status. Vaccination rates and characteristics of vaccinees were reported descriptively. Logistic regressions were conducted to predict vaccination behavior from sociodemographics and risk-related variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The influenza vaccination rate for all adults 18 years and older has increased significantly from 28.0% to 36.2% from 2007 to 2011 (ps<.05). Compared with those not at high risk (25.1%), all high-risk groups were vaccinated at a higher rate, from 36.8% (pregnant women) to 69.7% (those with renal/kidney disease); however, considerable variability among high-risk groups was observed. Vaccination rates among high-risk groups for other vaccines varied considerably though all were below 50%, with the exception of immunocompromised respondents (57.5% for the hepatitis B vaccine and 52.5% for the pneumococcal vaccine) and the elderly (50.4% for the pneumococcal). Multiple risk factors were associated with increased rate of vaccination for most vaccines. Significant racial/ethnic differences with influenza, hepatitis, and herpes zoster vaccination rates were also observed (ps<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rates of influenza vaccination have increased over time. Rates varied by high-risk status, demographics, and vaccine. There was a pattern of modest vaccination rate increases for individuals with multiple risk factors. However, there were relatively low rates of vaccination for most risk-based recommendations and all fell below national goals.
authors.affiliation: Health Outcomes Practice, Kantar Health, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Annunziata
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rak
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Del Buono
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DiBonaventura
authors.forename: Girishanthy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krishnarajah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D014765:Viral Vaccines