Influenza

Vaccination rates against influenza and pneumococcus were lower in patients receiving organ transplants who lived outside of urban areas and had lower ...

The researchers concluded that patients who received an SOT were undervaccinated in the region of southeastern Minnesota. Participants living in urban areas were more likely to have received an influenza vaccine compared with their suburban (RR, 0.801; 95% CI, 0.671-0.956) and rural (RR, 0.874; 95% CI, 0.718-1.065) counterparts. A total of 55.8% of participants were up to date on pneumococcal vaccines, with 81.8% of all SOT patients having received at least 1 vaccine. Only 68.1% of patients who had received at least 1 vaccine were up to date on pneumococcal vaccines. More than a third of the participants had had a history of smoking (38.2%). Patients who were 65 years and older were also not included in this study. The median (IQR) time spent undervaccinated was 26 (12-53) months, with only 6% participants never undervaccinated. Most participants had a kidney transplant (70%) and the least common organ transplant was lung (7%). A total of 85% of participants had received 1 dose of the influenza vaccine and 74% had received 2 or more influenza vaccines. A lower mean difference of 3.25% (95% CI, –7.23 to 0.73) in influenza vaccination rate was found when comparing the first 3 years post transplant with the remaining years. This study aimed to evaluate the vaccination rates for SOT recipients based on demographic factors like age, race, ethnicity, rural status, and SES. Data were obtained from June 1, 2010, to June 30, 2020.