KEYWORDS:
Influenza vaccine

BACKGROUND:
The California Health and Safety Code mandates that publicly funded vaccine be made available to high-risk persons, with priority given to adults 60 years of age and older. National statistics indicate that 64% of persons over age 65 obtain the influenza vaccine. However, that percentage drops for black and Hispanic seniors to 46% and 51%, respectively.

OBJECTIVE(S):
To determine whether the LACIP Influenza Campaign reached the targeted age and ethnic/racial population

METHOD(S):
During the 2000-2001 Influenza Campaign 115,000 doses of influenza vaccine were distributed to 364 providers. Information on age and race/ethnicity was collected on vaccine recipients. Complete record analyses were performed on this data. Age and ethnic/racial distribution of vaccine recipients was compared to the age and ethnic/racial distribution of the LAC population in 2000. LAC population estimates for 2000 were obtained from the Urban League.

RESULT(S):
Of the 115,000 doses of influenza distributed by LACIP during the 2000-2001 influenza season, age and race/ethnicity information was collected on 105,733 doses. Over 80% percent of the vaccine was administered to persons 60 years of age and older. Fifty-two percent of vaccine recipients age 60 and over were white, 18% were Hispanic, 16% were Asian/Pacific Islander, 5% were black, and 1% was American Indian/Alaskan Native. The amount of vaccine received by most racial/ethnic seniors was comparable to their distribution in the Los Angeles County (LAC) population. However, the amount of vaccine received by black and Hispanic seniors was not proportionate to their distribution in the LAC population (8% and 26%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS(S):
Although most ethnic/racial groups were equitably served by the 2000-2001 Influenza Campaign, black and Hispanics were not. Additional outreach efforts are needed for the underserved populations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Assessing if the Influenza Campaign equitably served ethnic/racial minorities is as important as reaching the appropriate age group.