KEYWORD1:
Influenza Vaccination; Asthma; HealthStyles Survey

BACKGROUND:
Influenza viruses cause annual respiratory disease epidemics with potentially severe consequences in children. Current policies recommend vaccination for children aged ³6 months with selected medical conditions, and encourage vaccination of healthy young children (6-23 months).

OBJECTIVE:
To assess 1) parental knowledge of vaccination encouragement for young children, and 2) vaccine coverage in young children and children with asthma.

METHOD:
We analyzed data from the 2002 HealthStyles Survey, a national mail survey, to determine whether parents had heard that “Young children should receive a flu shot each year” and whether young children and children with asthma were offered and received a flu shot during the 2001-2002 influenza season.

RESULT:
Of 4,397 respondents, 134 had children aged 6-23 months without asthma, and 367 had children aged 6 months-18 years with asthma. Of respondents with healthy children aged 6-23 months, 12.3% (95% CI 5.5-19.2) had heard in the past two months that young children should receive a flu shot each year, and 14.7% (4.9-24.5) reported their child had been offered and received a flu shot the previous fall/winter. Of respondents with children aged 6 months-18 years with asthma, 34.8% (29.3-40.3) reported the child was offered a flu shot, and 28.9% (23.6-34.1) reported receipt of the shot. In contrast, 13.6% (11.4-15.8) and 10.0% (8.0-11.9) of children aged 6 months-18 years without asthma were offered and received a flu shot, respectively.

CONCLUSION:
Few parents were aware that young children should be vaccinated, prior to the 2002-2003 season. The majority of asthmatic children’s parents do not recall their child being offered a flu shot. Less than 1 in 3 asthmatic children received a flu shot in the 2001-2002 season, although asthmatic children were 3 times as likely to be vaccinated as children without asthma.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVES:
To increase influenza vaccination levels in high-risk children, physicians must be persuaded to offer vaccine and parents educated on the benefits of vaccination.