Associations between Influenza Vaccination and Health Care Access among Adults in the United States.
Morgan Gurel-Headley, Mariam Mamisashvili, Sheena CarlLee, Sharon Reece, Christina Chapman, Shashank Kraleti, Jennifer A Andersen, James P Selig, Don E Willis, Ji Li, Pearl A McElfish
Author Information
Morgan Gurel-Headley: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Little Rock, AR 72205, USA. ORCID
Mariam Mamisashvili: American MD Program, Faculty of Medicine, Tbilisi State Medical University, 33 Vazha Pshavela Ave., 0162 Tbilisi, Georgia.
Sheena CarlLee: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72703, USA. ORCID
Sharon Reece: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72703, USA. ORCID
Christina Chapman: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Ave., Fayetteville, AR 72703, USA.
Shashank Kraleti: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
Jennifer A Andersen: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA. ORCID
James P Selig: Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA.
Don E Willis: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA. ORCID
Ji Li: Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA.
Pearl A McElfish: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA. ORCID
Few studies have investigated the relationship between influenza vaccination and health care access. Furthermore, despite the well-documented disparities in vaccine coverage for communities of color, few studies have examined how experiences of discrimination may influence vaccine uptake. To fill this gap in the literature, this study examined associations between 5-year influenza vaccination rates and sociodemographic characteristics, health care access, and racial discrimination. Age, race/ethnicity, education, health care coverage, primary care provider, no medical care due to cost, and routine doctor checkups were significant correlates of 5-year influenza vaccination. In contrast to previous studies, discrimination scores were not a significant correlate of regular influenza vaccination. Respondents who reported forgoing care due to cost were less likely to report vaccination every year out of the last 5 years compared to all of the less frequent categories combined, demonstrating a more complex association between sometimes not being able to afford medical care and influenza vaccination. Future research should examine the relationship between influenza vaccination uptake, racial discrimination, and forgone care due to cost to enhance resources and messaging for influenza vaccination uptake.
