Influenza vaccination accuracy among adults: Self-report compared with electronic health record data

The politicization of influenza: partisan changes in flu vaccination before and after COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Democrats are more likely to be vaccinated for COVID-19 than Republicans. It is unknown if political polarization surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine has affected flu vaccine uptake. The purpose of this study is to examine the partisan differences in annual flu vaccine uptake before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This study uses longitudinal panel survey data from the Understanding America Study (UAS), spanning from 2015 to 2024. Using self-reported flu vaccination and partisanship over time, I estimate the odds ratios of flu vaccination for partisan groups before the COVID-19 pandemic, during the pre-vaccination phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, and after the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.

RESULTS

In pre-COVID years, the predicted probability of flu vaccination was 0.54 ([0.52,0.56], P < .000) among Republicans and 0.63 ([0.61,0.64], P < .00) among Democrats. After the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine, the average flu vaccination probability was 0.44 ([0.43,0.46], P < .00) among Republicans and 0.61 ([0.59,0.62], P < .00) among Democrats.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the partisan gap in annual flu vaccination. Researchers should continue to investigate if the partisan gap in other types of vaccinations has grown post-COVID. Practitioners may need to tailor their flu vaccine messaging to vaccine-hesitant political demographics.

Knowledge and Adherence to Lifestyle Habits to Prevent Complications Associated With Immunosuppression in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Single-Center Survey

BACKGROUND

Chronic immunosuppression associated with certain lifestyle habits render kidney transplant (KT) recipients more susceptible to infection and cancer. We assessed the level of knowledge and adherence to safe living strategies to minimize the occurrence of posttransplant complications.

METHODS

Consecutive KT recipients were offered a self-administered questionnaire covering the following areas: demographics and socioeconomic factors; generic hygiene habits; sun exposure; smoking and alcohol consumption; vaccination status; animal contact and gardening; international travelling; and food safety and habits.

RESULTS

Between May 2019 and May 2021, 130 KT recipients responded the survey at a median of 61.5 posttransplant days (completion rate of 94.9%). Only 19.7% of participants visited the dentist at least every 3-6 months. Although the majority (88.5%) were aware of the need of sunscreen, only 23.3% used it throughout the year. Self-reported influenza vaccine uptake in the last session was 69.1%. Pet ownership was reported by 41.7% of participants, of which more than one-third had considered to give up the care of their animals. Gardening and international travel were uncommon. A notable proportion of participants acknowledged to consume the following products either "usually" or "often": raw or undercooked meat (12.4%), undercooked fish (24.8%), raw seafood (8.8%), homemade sausages or cured ham (51.5%), pâté or meat spreads (35.2%), and "ready-to-eat" salads (31.8%). Adherence was poorer among non-native-speaking patients and those with lower education and household incomes.

CONCLUSION

There is room for improvement in health education and promotion practices among KT recipients, particularly those with potential cultural and socioeconomic barriers.

Vaccination uptake in LGBTQ adults in two US states: Findings from the QVax study

OBJECTIVES

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other (LGBTQ+) individuals face numerous health disparities, including higher rates of chronic diseases and sexually transmitted infections, partly due to marginalization, discrimination, and a healthcare system often unprepared to meet their specific needs. Despite the importance of vaccination in preventing these health issues, vaccination patterns in LGBTQ+ populations remain under-researched, with limited data available due to the absence of sexual orientation and gender identity information on most healthcare forms. As such, we sought to understand vaccine uptake among LGBTQ+ individuals living in New Jersey and New York for 7 primary adult vaccines.

METHODS

Participants were 768 LGBTQ+ adults living in New Jersey and New York, US. We recruited this convenience sample through community centers and events, social media, and listservs of local professional organizations. The online survey examined uptake for 7 adult vaccines.

RESULTS

Of the 7 adult vaccines, human papilloma virus (HPV) had the lowest proportion of participants who were fully/partially vaccinated (54.4 %), followed by hepatitis A (59.8 %), hepatitis B (63.0 %), meningitis B (63.7 %), seasonal influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic (70.2 %), seasonal influenza before the COVID-19 pandemic (70.3 %), and nearly all participants (99.2 %) received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. For Shingles virus, among participants age 50+, 63.8 % were fully/partially vaccinated. In adjusted models, age was the strongest predictor of vaccination uptake in HPV, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningitis B, and seasonal influenza before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Younger participants were more likely to be vaccinated for 4 of the 6 vaccines, excluding Shingles (<0.001), whereas older adults were more likely to be vaccinated for seasonal influenza before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (<0.010).

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the differences in uptake across different vaccines. It also draws attention to differences within LGBTQ+ populations which is important to consider when ensuring more equitable vaccine access.