The Correlates of Influenza Vaccination among Korean Elderly Men and Women

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the rate of and factors associated with influenza vaccination in Korean elderly people. METHODS: For this retrospective cross-sectional study, we used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008. A total of 1,516 men and women aged 65 or above were included. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. RESULTS: The overall rate of influenza vaccination in 2008 was 73.6%. The vaccination rate was lower in women (73.2%) than in men (74.2%; p<.001). It was lower in the elderly aged 80 and above, those living in metropolitan areas, smokers, those who did not receive regular health screening, those who had no history of hospitalization within one year, and those who had liver diseases than in the other groups. The rate of vaccination was higher in those with cancer. Logistic regression analysis revealed that for both men and women, the significant correlates associated with vaccination were demographic factors, chronic disease and health behavior. CONCLUSION: The influenza vaccination coverage needs to be improved. Efforts should be made to reach the elderly population with relatively low influenza vaccination rates and to increase awareness about the importance of vaccination at a personal and community level.