Comparative analysis of the impact on hard-to-reach adolescent populations' likelihood to seek influenza immunizations: Assessing five counties in Michigan

Influenza is estimated to be responsible for 431,000 hospitalizations and 49,000 deaths per year. Low immunization rates in adolescents have caused concern at the national, state and local levels. This study provided a comparative analysis among communities and explored the likelihood adolescents would seek influenza immunization. The study compared and analyzed immunization levels between counties and assessed if the rate of influenza was higher in counties where the immunization rate was at its lowest based on county characteristics.;A regression analyses was performed using SPSS, SAS and Minitab software to predict relationships among counties as a means in determining issues of access, socio-demographic variables and spatial patterns as possibly affecting vaccination rates. A pattern was revealed that the older the population was, the less likely they were to receive the vaccine. Although it was apparent, more adolescents received the vaccine prior to the peak season, there was no verification to support an association between age and the time the influenza vaccine was received. Comparison of data related to flu activity versus rate per county, appeared to reveal no relationship related to counties. The results suggested the vaccine rate distribution across counties in the study group was the same across both categories in both seasons.