Influenza vaccination uptake and its socioeconomic determinants in the older adult Iranian population: A national study.

Background: The relationship between socioeconomic status and influenza vaccine uptake has a different pattern in different societies. The objective of this study was to assess the socioeconomic factors influencing influenza vaccination uptake in the older adult Iranian population.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1,350 Iranian adults aged ≥60 years were selected using a multistage sampling method. Self-report questionnaires were administered to collect information on the status of influenza vaccine uptake within the last year.

Results: Overall, 10.4% of the older adult Iranian population had received influenza vaccinations within the last year. Several determinants were associated with influenza vaccination uptake, such as current occupation, education level, ethnicity, source of income, financial support from relatives, satisfaction with income, type of health insurance, and having complementary health insurance for outpatient services. Other factors, such as age, sex, marital status, residential area, and having health insurance, had no influence on the probability of vaccine uptake. After adjusting for desired variables, we found that having an occupation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-4.02) and having complementary health insurance for outpatient services (OR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.06-2.56) remained associated with higher influenza vaccine uptake.

Conclusions: The influenza vaccination rate in older adult Iranians was found to be low. Occupation and having complementary health insurance were associated with influenza vaccination uptake among Iranian older adults. Considering the mentioned variables in future studies is advised.