Associations between 5-year influenza vaccination and sociodemographic factors and healthcare access among Arkansans. Issue 27 (15th June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McElfish, Pearl A.; Selig, James P.; Scott, Aaron J.; Rowland, Brett; Willis, Don E.; Reece, Sharon; CarlLee, Sheena; Gurel-Headley, Morgan; Shah, Sumit K.; Macechko, Michael D.
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 40:Issue 27(2022)
• Page Start: 3727
• Page End: 3731
• Publication Date: 2022-06-15
• Subjects: Influenza vaccine -- Vaccine hesitancy -- Healthcare access -- Hispanic; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.05.031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Highlights: Large random sample study examined 5-year influenza vaccination among Arkansans. Hispanic respondents were two times more likely to report an influenza vaccination. Having a primary care physician was a significant predictor of influenza vaccination. Doctor's checkup was a significant predictor of influenza vaccination. Abstract: Despite wide availability, only 50.2% of the United States (US) adult population and 50.3% of adult Arkansans were vaccinated for influenza during the 2020–2021 influenza season. The proportion of the population vaccinated for influenza varies by age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, rural/urban residence, and income. However, measures of healthcare access have not been adequately investigated as predictors of influenza vaccination. Using a large, statewide random sample, this study examined 5-year influenza vaccination among Arkansans by sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, rural/urban residence), general vaccine hesitancy, and healthcare access (having a primary care provider, having health insurance, forgoing health care due to cost, and frequency of doctor checkups). Older age, being female, being Hispanic, having a bachelor's degree or higher, having a primary care provider, visiting a doctor for a checkup in the past two years, and lack of hesitancy towards vaccines were significant predictors of receiving influenza vaccination.