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Leonard E. Egede, MD, MS and Deyi Zheng, MB, PhD

Leonard E. Egede and Deyi Zheng are with the Departments of Medicine and of Biometry and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Leonard E. Egede, MD, Medical University of South Carolina, Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, McClennan–Banks Adult Primary Care Clinic (4th floor), 326 Calhoun St, PO Box 250100, Charleston, SC 29401 (e-mail: egedel{at}musc.edu).

Objectives. This study identified racial/ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination in high-risk adults.

Methods. We analyzed data on influenza vaccination in 7655 adults with high-risk conditions, using data from the 1999 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). We stratified data by age and used multiple logistic regression to adjust for gender, education, income, employment, and health care access.

Results. After control for covariates, White patients with diabetes, chronic heart conditions, and cancer had a higher prevalence of influenza vaccination than did Black patients with the same conditions. Similarly, White patients with 2 or more high-risk conditions were more likely to receive the influenza vaccine than Black patients with the same conditions.

Conclusions. Significant racial/ethnic differences exist in influenza vaccination of high-risk individuals, and missed vaccination opportunities seem to contribute to the less-than-optimal influenza vaccination coverage in the United States.

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