Influenza vaccinations of young children increased with media coverage in 2003

OBJECTIVE. We sought to evaluate the impact of intense influenza media coverage during the 2003 - 2004 influenza season on the influenza vaccination status of children 6 to 59 months of age. METHODS. Children 6 to 59 months of age who presented to a large, academic pediatric continuity clinic or affiliated acute care clinic in the summer of 2004 were enrolled. A parental survey ascertained the influenza vaccination status of the child and family members during the 2003 - 2004 influenza season and factors that influenced their vaccination status. For children vaccinated in the clinic or health department, influenza vaccination dates were confirmed in a computerized medical chart or state immunization registry. RESULTS. Of 256 enrolled children, 98 (38%) parents reported that their child had received the 2003 - 2004 influenza vaccine, and 64 (65%) had confirmed influenza vaccination dates. Unlike the previous influenza season in which confirmed influenza vaccination dates from a similar study population were distributed more evenly from October through December, most children (75%) with confirmed vaccination dates received the vaccine after the media coverage in mid-November. Influenza vaccinations per week increased dramatically after the media coverage began (2.4 vs 8.6 per week; t test: P < .001). In late November and December 2003, the influenza-related media coverage, which focused primarily on an early, severe influenza season, increased dramatically and explained 85% of the variation in influenza vaccinations. Multivariate analysis showed that recalling a physician recommendation (odds ratio [OR]: 6.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.3 - 19.7), having a family member who had received the influenza vaccine (OR: 9.5; 95% CI: 4.3 - 21.3), having a continuity clinic visit between October and January (OR: 4.5; 95% CI: 2.0 - 10.1), and having a high-risk medical condition (OR: 2.9; 95% CI: 1.1 - 7.8) strongly predicted the influenza vaccination status in the children. CONCLUSION. Media coverage in conjunction with explicit physician recommendation for children and their contacts are key factors that are associated with influenza vaccination rates in children.