Uptake of Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccination Among Working-age Adults With Underlying Medical Conditions, United States, 2009

Abstract

Since 1997, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) for nonelderly adults with certain medical conditions. In 2008, the Committee added asthma and cigarette smoking to the list of indications for PPSV23 vaccination. Using data from the 2009 National Health Interview Survey, the authors assessed PPSV23 uptake in people with established and new indications. To identify factors independently associated with receiving PPSV23, they used multivariable logistic regression and predictive marginal analyses. In 2009, a total of 35.2 million adults 18–64 years of age (18.6%) had established PPSV23 indications; adding asthma and smoking to the list of indications increased the high-risk population to 71.6 million people (37.9%). Overall, 26.1% of people with established indications for PPSV23 and 17.4% of people with any indication (those previously established, as well as asthma and smoking) had received the vaccine; overall coverage among persons 50–64 years of age was significantly higher than that among persons 18–49 years of age (34.6% vs. 16.7%; P < 0.001) and for all specific indications except cancer. For persons who had asthma or who smoked but had no other indications, rates of coverage were 12.3% and 8.5%, respectively. In persons who had established indications, being older, white, and unemployed and having more physician visits, a prior hospitalization, a regular physician, and health insurance were independently associated with PPSV23 receipt. PPSV23 uptake varies substantially by age and indication but remains low overall, with approximately 59 million unvaccinated high-risk working-age adults. Effective strategies to increase pneumococcal vaccination coverage among at-risk groups are needed.