Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Health Care Personnel - United States, 2015-16 Influenza Season.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends annual influenza vaccination for all health care personnel to reduce influenza-related morbidity and mortality among both health care personnel and their patients (1-4). To estimate influenza vaccination coverage among U.S. health care personnel for the 2015-16 influenza season, CDC conducted an opt-in Internet panel survey of 2,258 health care personnel during March 28-April 14, 2016. Overall, 79.0% of survey participants reported receiving an influenza vaccination during the 2015-16 season, similar to the 77.3% coverage reported for the 2014-15 season (5). Coverage in long-term care settings increased by 5.3 percentage points compared with the previous season. Vaccination coverage continued to be higher among health care personnel working in hospitals (91.2%) and lower among health care personnel working in ambulatory (79.8%) and long-term care settings (69.2%). Coverage continued to be highest among physicians (95.6%) and lowest among assistants and aides (64.1%), and highest overall among health care personnel who were required by their employer to be vaccinated (96.5%). Among health care personnel working in settings where vaccination was neither required, promoted, nor offered onsite, vaccination coverage continued to be low (44.9%). An increased percentage of health care personnel reporting a vaccination requirement or onsite vaccination availability compared with earlier influenza seasons might have contributed to the overall increase in vaccination coverage during the past 6 influenza seasons.

Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Health Care Personnel--United States, 2014-15 Influenza Season.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends annual influenza vaccination for all health care personnel (HCP) to reduce influenza-related morbidity and mortality among both HCP and their patients and to decrease absenteeism among HCP. To estimate influenza vaccination coverage among U.S. HCP for the 2014­15 influenza season, CDC conducted an opt-in Internet panel survey of 1,914 HCP during March 31­April 15, 2015. Overall, 77.3% of HCP survey participants reported receiving an influenza vaccination during the 2014­15 season, similar to the 75.2% coverage among HCP reported for the 2013­14 season. Vaccination coverage was highest among HCP working in hospitals (90.4%) and lowest among HCP working in long-term care (LTC) settings (63.9%). By occupation, coverage was highest among pharmacists (95.3%) and lowest among assistants and aides (64.4%). Influenza vaccination coverage was highest among HCP who were required by their employer to be vaccinated (96.0%). Among HCP without an employer requirement for vaccination, coverage was higher for HCP working in settings where vaccination was offered on-site at no cost for 1 day (73.6%) or multiple days (83.9%) and lowest among HCP working in settings where vaccine was neither required, promoted, nor offered on-site (44.0%). Comprehensive vaccination strategies that include making vaccine available at no cost at the workplace along with active promotion of vaccination might help increase vaccination coverage among HCP and reduce the risk for influenza to HCP and their patients.

Influenza vaccination coverage among health care personnel--United States, 2013-14 influenza season.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that all health care personnel (HCP) be vaccinated annually against influenza. Vaccination of HCP can reduce influenza-related morbidity and mortality among both HCP and their patients. To estimate influenza vaccination coverage among HCP during the 2013-14 season, CDC analyzed results of an opt-in Internet panel survey of 1,882 HCP conducted during April 1-16, 2014. Overall, 75.2% of participating HCP reported receiving an influenza vaccination during the 2013-14 season, similar to the 72.0% coverage among participating HCP reported in the 2012-13 season. Coverage was highest among HCP working in hospitals (89.6%) and lowest among HCP working in long-term care (LTC) settings (63.0%). By occupation, coverage was highest among physicians (92.2%), nurses (90.5%), nurse practitioners and physician assistants (89.6%), pharmacists (85.7%), and "other clinical personnel" (87.4%) compared with assistants and aides (57.7%) and nonclinical personnel (e.g., administrators, clerical support workers, janitors, and food service workers) (68.6%). HCP working in settings where vaccination was required had higher coverage (97.8%) compared with HCP working in settings where influenza vaccination was not required but promoted (72.4%) or settings where there was no requirement or promotion of vaccination (47.9%). Among HCP without an employer requirement for vaccination, coverage was higher for HCP working in settings where vaccination was offered on-site at no cost for 1 day (61.6%) or multiple days (80.4%) compared with HCP working in settings not offering free on-site vaccination (49.0%). Comprehensive vaccination strategies that include making vaccine available at no cost at the workplace along with active promotion of vaccination might be needed to increase vaccination coverage among HCP and minimize the risk for influenza to HCP and their patients.

Influenza vaccination coverage among pregnant women--United States, 2013-14 influenza season.

Pregnant women and infants are at increased risk for influenza-related complications and hospitalization. Influenza vaccination among pregnant women can reduce their risk for respiratory illness and reduce the risk for influenza in their infants aged <6 months. Since 2004, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have recommended influenza vaccination for all women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season, regardless of trimester. To assess influenza vaccination coverage among pregnant women during the 2013-14 influenza season, CDC analyzed data from an Internet panel survey conducted March 31-April 11, 2014. Among 1,619 survey respondents pregnant at any time during October 2013-January 2014, 52.2% reported vaccination before or during pregnancy (17.6% before and 34.6% during pregnancy), similar to the coverage in the preceding season. Overall, 65.1% of women reported receiving a clinician recommendation and offer of influenza vaccination, 15.1% received a clinician recommendation but no offer of vaccination, and 19.8% received no clinician recommendation or offer. Vaccination coverage among these women was 70.5%, 32.0%, and 9.7%, respectively. Continued efforts are needed to encourage clinicians to strongly recommend and offer influenza vaccination to their pregnant patients.

Geographic variation in opioid prescribing in the U.S.

UNLABELLED: Estimates of geographic variation among states and counties in the prevalence of opioid prescribing are developed using data from a large (135 million) representative national sample of opioid prescriptions dispensed during 2008 by 37,000 retail pharmacies. Statistical analyses are used to estimate the extent to which county variation is explained by characteristics of resident populations, their healthcare utilization, proxy measures of morbidity, availability of healthcare resources, and prescription monitoring laws. Geographic variation in prevalence of prescribed opioids is large, greater than the variation observed for other healthcare services. Counties having the highest prescribing rates for opioids were disproportionately located in Appalachia and in southern and western states. The number of available physicians was by far the strongest predictor of amounts prescribed, but only one-third of county variation is explained by the combination of all measured factors. Wide variation in prescribing opioids reflects weak consensus regarding the appropriate use of opioids for treating pain, especially chronic noncancer pain. Patients' demands for treatment have increased, more potent opioids have become available, an epidemic of abuse has emerged, and calls for increased government regulation are growing. Greater guidance, education, and training in opioid prescribing are needed for clinicians to support appropriate prescribing practices. PERSPECTIVE: Wide geographic variation that does not reflect differences in the prevalence of injuries, surgeries, or conditions requiring analgesics raises questions about opioid prescribing practices. Low prescription rates may indicate undertreatment, while high rates may indicate overprescribing and insufficient attention to risks of misuse.