Prevalence of immunization against influenza in elderly Brazilians: National Health Survey, 2019

ABSTRACT

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of influenza immunization in elderly people in Brazil in 2019. METHODS: This is a population-based cross-sectional study. The Brazilian individuals (≥60 years) who participated in the 2019 National Health Survey were included. The survey was conducted in permanent households in Brazil from August 2019 to March 2020. The prevalences of influenza vaccination and their respective confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated according to sociodemographic characteristics and the diagnosis of chronic diseases. RESULTS: The prevalence of influenza vaccination was 72.4% (95%CI 71.5-73.2), with statistically significant differences observed between genders (p=0.001), age groups (p=0.001), and those living with a spouse/partner (p=0.002). Significant differences were found in groups with arterial hypertension (75.2%, p<0.001), diabetes (77.2%, p<0.001), and arthritis or rheumatism (75.5%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: A global prevalence of influenza vaccination of 72.4% was estimated among elderly people in Brazil.