Sexual Orientation and Influenza Immunization among Adults in the United States Public

Abstract

Purpose: Sexual minority individuals have an increased vulnerability to poor health outcomes and increased barriers in access to healthcare. There is a lack of research investigating the association between sexual orientation and influenza vaccination. To our knowledge, this will be the first study to date to use national level data to investigate this association while controlling for socio-demographic factors.

 

Methods: We analyzed data from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey to evaluate the association between sexual orientation and seasonal influenza vaccination among adults aged 18-64 years, stratified by sex. Vaccination frequencies and proportions were calculated, and multivariate analyses for complex survey data, allowing for interaction of sexual orientation and provider type among women, was performed to adjust for appropriate socio-demographic characteristics.

 

Results: Gay and bisexual men were more likely to receive the influenza vaccine relative to straight men (47.6% versus 32.7%, respectively; adjusted prevalence ratio: 1.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.18, 1.57). There were no significant differences between lesbian, gay, and bisexual women and straight women after adjusting for socio-demographic factors (30.5% versus 41.6%, respectively; adjusted prevalence ratio: 0.94, 95% confidence interval: 0.74, 1.19). Among women who saw neither a general practitioner nor an obstetrician-gynecologist in the past year, sexual minority women were significantly less likely to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine than straight women (adjusted prevalence ratio: 0.61, 95% confidence interval: 0.47, 0.79).

 

Conclusions: Vaccination rates among sexual minority individuals remain suboptimal, particularly among sexual minority women who did not see either a general practitioner or an obstetrician-gynecologist in the past year. More research is needed to explore effective interventions that promote influenza vaccine uptake among these populations, with a focus on potential avenues for intervention, including clinics providing targeted care to sexual minorities, pharmacies, and workplace vaccination programs.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I: LITERATURE REVIEW 1

Seasonal Influenza 2

Influenza Vaccine 2

Disparities in Influenza Vaccine Uptake 3

Sexual Minority Health 4

Sexual Orientation and Vaccination Status 6

CHAPTER II: MANUSCRIPT 7

Title Page 8

Abstract 9

Introduction 10

Methods 11

Results 13

Discussion 15

References 19

Tables 25

Figure 30

CHAPTER III: POSSIBLE FUTURE DIRECTIONS 31

 

About this Master's Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Rollins School of Public Health
Department	Epidemiology
Subfield / Discipline	Global Epidemiology - MPH & MSPH
Degree	M.P.H.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Health Sciences, Epidemiology
Mot-clé	LGBT Sexual Minority Health Sexual Minority Vaccination Influenza Immunization Immunization LGBT Health Sexual Orientation Vaccine
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Robert A. Bednarczyk, Emory University

Dernière modification

Primary PDF

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	Sexual Orientation and Influenza Immunization among Adults in the United States ()	2019-04-24 11:09:14 -0400	Press to Select an action Download

Supplemental Files

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions