Researchers: Only 30% Of U.S. 17-Year-Olds Have Received All Recommended Vaccines
Arlington, Va.—A first-time study to measure whether adolescents are completing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended vaccination schedule, excluding influenza vaccine, determined that just 30.6% of the nation’s 17-year-olds had received all vaccines, according to data being presented at IDWeek 2020.
The study revealed model-adjusted, state-level variations that ranged from a low of 11.3% in Idaho to a high of 56.4% in Rhode Island.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has increased barriers to health care and led to a decrease in wellness visits,” says Sara Poston, PharmD, presenting author of the study and senior director of health outcomes research at GSK. “Although COVID-19 has our attention, it’s more important than ever that providers are diligent about making sure teens receive vaccines.”
The findings provide a solid foundation to begin addressing geographic disparities and improving overall completion, she adds, and indicate that states can play a significant role in ensuring vaccine goals are met.
Researchers identified four actionable factors that could affect adolescent completion of recommended vaccines: insurance coverage; provider visits at age 16 or 17 years; provider human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine recommendations; and state-mandated meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccination.
Residing in a state with a MenACWY vaccination requirement for elementary or secondary schools was the only state-level variable assessed that significantly increased the likelihood of completion.
The analysis also finds females, Black or Latino teens and individuals with Medicaid coverage were among those more likely to receive recommended vaccines. Researchers say further study is needed to determine whether some of these results are attributed to the Vaccines for Children Program, a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay.
The researchers also note their study could not explain the variability in completion rates between states, meaning more research is needed to pinpoint additional factors that could help states protect more adolescents against vaccine-preventable diseases.
Researchers analyzed National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen) data from 2015 to 2018 to estimate national and state-level completion rates among 17-year-old teens. Vaccination completion is based on completion of the HPV series, completion of the MenACWY series, and receipt of a Tdap vaccine.
In addition to Dr. Poston, co-authors of the study are: Elizabeth La, Ph.D., MSE, Diana Garbinsky, M.S. and Shannon Hunter, M.S. – researchers at RTI Health Solutions – along with Patricia Novy, Ph.D. and Parinaz Ghaswalla, Ph.D. with GSK.
This study and publication were funded by GSK.
About IDWeek
IDWeek 2020TM is the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists. With the theme “Advancing Science, Improving Care,” IDWeek features the latest science and bench-to-bedside approaches in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiology of infectious diseases, including HIV, across the lifespan. IDWeek 2020 takes place virtually Oct. 21-25. For more information, visit www.idweek.org.