tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Emerg Med
. 2026 May 16:87:131-138.
doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2026.05.011. Online ahead of print.
Up to Date Status and Acceptance of the Influenza Vaccine among a National Sample of Emergency Department Patients
Sanya Dhama[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rajesh Gulati[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shaokui Ge[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jesus Torres[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Brian Chinnock[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Michael Gottlieb[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Vijaya Arun Kumar[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Kristin L Rising[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Stephanie Eucker[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Melanie F Molina[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Efrat Rosenzweig Kean[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Robert M Rodriguez[SUP] 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: Influenza vaccination is a core public health measure but uptake rates in underserved populations are largely unknown.
Objective: In a national sample of emergency department (ED) patients we sought to determine knowledge and up-to-date status of the influenza vaccine; acceptance of influenza vaccination if offered in the ED; and reasons for not being up-to-date and declining vaccination.
Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional study of adult patients at ten US EDs from April-December 2024. Research personnel asked participants standardized questions about their knowledge, uptake and willingness to accept the influenza vaccine if offered during their ED visit. We report primary outcomes as frequency percentages with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and performed multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with outcomes.
Results: Of 4326 patients approached, 3285 (75.9%) participated; 96.0% (95%CI, 95.5-96.3%) had heard of the influenza vaccine, 77.6% (76.2-79.0%) reported having ever received it, and 58.4% (56.7-60.1%) were not up to date. Factors associated with not being up-to-date included African American race (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.28), lack of primary care (aOR 2.61), and lack of insurance (aOR 1.54). Among participants who were not up-to-date, 37.0% (95%CI, 34.7-39.3%) reported they would accept influenza vaccination if offered.
Conclusions: Although awareness of the influenza vaccine was high among ED patients, more than half were not up-to-date. Over one-third of those not up-to-date would accept influenza vaccination if offered during their ED visit. These findings highlight the potential for ED-based influenza vaccination surveillance, messaging and delivery programs.
Keywords: emergency department; influenza vaccine; underserved populations; vaccine hesitancy; vaccine surveillance.
. 2026 May 16:87:131-138.
doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2026.05.011. Online ahead of print.
Up to Date Status and Acceptance of the Influenza Vaccine among a National Sample of Emergency Department Patients
Sanya Dhama[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rajesh Gulati[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Shaokui Ge[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jesus Torres[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Brian Chinnock[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Michael Gottlieb[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Vijaya Arun Kumar[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Kristin L Rising[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Stephanie Eucker[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Melanie F Molina[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Efrat Rosenzweig Kean[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Robert M Rodriguez[SUP] 9 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 42296645
- DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2026.05.011
Background: Influenza vaccination is a core public health measure but uptake rates in underserved populations are largely unknown.
Objective: In a national sample of emergency department (ED) patients we sought to determine knowledge and up-to-date status of the influenza vaccine; acceptance of influenza vaccination if offered in the ED; and reasons for not being up-to-date and declining vaccination.
Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional study of adult patients at ten US EDs from April-December 2024. Research personnel asked participants standardized questions about their knowledge, uptake and willingness to accept the influenza vaccine if offered during their ED visit. We report primary outcomes as frequency percentages with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and performed multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with outcomes.
Results: Of 4326 patients approached, 3285 (75.9%) participated; 96.0% (95%CI, 95.5-96.3%) had heard of the influenza vaccine, 77.6% (76.2-79.0%) reported having ever received it, and 58.4% (56.7-60.1%) were not up to date. Factors associated with not being up-to-date included African American race (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.28), lack of primary care (aOR 2.61), and lack of insurance (aOR 1.54). Among participants who were not up-to-date, 37.0% (95%CI, 34.7-39.3%) reported they would accept influenza vaccination if offered.
Conclusions: Although awareness of the influenza vaccine was high among ED patients, more than half were not up-to-date. Over one-third of those not up-to-date would accept influenza vaccination if offered during their ED visit. These findings highlight the potential for ED-based influenza vaccination surveillance, messaging and delivery programs.
Keywords: emergency department; influenza vaccine; underserved populations; vaccine hesitancy; vaccine surveillance.