Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Uptake and Location of Vaccination for 2009-H1n1 and Seasonal Influenza
Published in: American Journal of Public Health, v. 101, no. 7, July 2011, p. 1252-1255
Posted on RAND.org on January 01, 2011
To learn more about racial and ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination during the 2009-H1N1 pandemic, we examined nationally representative survey data of US adults. We found disparities in 2009-H1N1 vaccine uptake between Blacks and Whites (13.8% vs 20.4%); Whites and Hispanics had similar 2009-H1N1 vaccination rates. Physician offices were the dominant location for 2009-H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccinations, especially among minorities. Our results highlight the need for a better understanding of how communication methods and vaccine distribution strategies affect vaccine uptake within minority communities.