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Examining Parental Perceptions And Decisions To Uptake Child Influenza Immunizations: Assessing Pandemic And Policy Impacts On Vaccination Rates Following The H1n1 Pandemic, And The Acip Laiv Preferential Recommendation Revocation, Amir H. Mehrabi

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

2009 H1N1 Pandemic: The historical 2009 H1N1 Influenza pandemic, which had a CDC estimated accrued disease burden of 100.5 million illnesses, 936,000 hospitalizations, and 75,000 deaths from 2009 to 2018, resulted in a declared state of emergency nationally, with ensuing diminished vaccine confidence and amplified fears of infection, prompting some to pursue flu vaccination, and others to forego. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommend an annual flu vaccine for individuals 6 months of age and older as the “first and best” defense against influenza, a low percentage …

Influenza Vaccination Coverage In Pediatric Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Kelly Brown

Senior Theses

Background: Children with chronic health conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are at especially high risk for influenza infection and complications. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and American College of Gastroenterology recommend that IBD patients should receive annual influenza vaccination. The aims of this study were to evaluate influenza vaccination coverage over time and identify predictors of flu vaccination in pediatric IBD and non-IBD patients.

Methods: We utilized longitudinal data (2000 to 2016) from South Carolina Medicaid to conduct a matched cohort study. The primary exposure of interest was IBD diagnosis based upon ICD-9/10 diagnosis codes. Children with IBD were …

The Impact Of Perceptions About Influenza And The Yearly Influenza Vaccine On Vaccine Behaviors Among Undergraduate Students At The University Of South Carolina, Julia G. Fuller

Senior Theses

Background: Undergraduate students are at an increased risk for developing respiratory infections as a result of the proximity in which they live, study, and eat. Despite being a target population for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s yearly flu vaccine, several studies of undergraduate populations have found vaccine uptake to be much lower than other at-risk populations. This study aims to understand how perceptions about influenza and the influenza vaccine affect University of South Carolina undergraduate students’ vaccine behavior. Methods: A cross-sectional study was completed using survey data from 165 undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina. The …