Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in Singapore.

Young children are at increased risk of severe illness from influenza and pneumococcal infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vaccination with influenza and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). However, in Singapore, vaccine uptake remains suboptimal relative to other routine ch...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marina Zahari, Vittoria Offeddu, Gavin J D Smith, Clarence C Tam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285561
_version_ 1797802690890170368
author Marina Zahari
Vittoria Offeddu
Gavin J D Smith
Clarence C Tam
author_facet Marina Zahari
Vittoria Offeddu
Gavin J D Smith
Clarence C Tam
author_sort Marina Zahari
collection DOAJ
description Young children are at increased risk of severe illness from influenza and pneumococcal infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vaccination with influenza and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). However, in Singapore, vaccine uptake remains suboptimal relative to other routine childhood immunisations. Limited information exists regarding determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake in children. We estimated vaccine uptake and investigated factors associated with influenza and pneumococcal vaccination status by age group using data from a cohort study on acute respiratory infections in children attending preschools in Singapore. We recruited children aged two to six years at 24 participating preschools from June 2017 to July 2018. We determined the proportion of children immunised with influenza vaccine and PCV, and investigated socio-demographic factors associated with vaccine uptake using logistic regression models. Among 505 children, 77.5% were of Chinese ethnicity, and 53.1% were male. History of influenza vaccination was 27.5% of which 11.7% had been vaccinated within the past 12 months. In multivariable analyses, factors associated with influenza vaccine uptake were 'children living in landed property' (aOR = 2.25, 95% CI [1.07-4.67]) and 'history of hospitalisation due to cough' (aOR = 1.85, 95% CI [1.00-3.36]). Nearly three-quarters of participants (70.7% 95%CI: [66.6-74.5]) reported prior PCV vaccination. PCV uptake was higher for younger children. 'Higher parental education' (OR = 2.83, 95% CI [1.51,5.32]), 'household income' (OR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.08,1.48]) and 'smokers in household' (OR = 0.48, 95% CI [0.31,0.74]) were significantly associated with PCV uptake in univariable analyses. Only 'smokers in household' remained significantly associated with PCV uptake (aOR = 0.55, 95% CI [0.33,0.91]) in the adjusted model. Our results indicate that episodes of severe respiratory illness are a cue to influenza vaccination suggesting that doctors are more likely to recommend influenza vaccines to high-risk children. For PCV, our findings suggest overall greater awareness and education on the benefit of PCV vaccination is required.
first_indexed 2024-03-13T05:09:30Z
format Article
id doaj.art-fc1f21d96c5c4462a4fc5fc8f0cca5c8
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-13T05:09:30Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-fc1f21d96c5c4462a4fc5fc8f0cca5c82023-06-16T05:31:13ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01185e028556110.1371/journal.pone.0285561Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in Singapore.Marina ZahariVittoria OffedduGavin J D SmithClarence C TamYoung children are at increased risk of severe illness from influenza and pneumococcal infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vaccination with influenza and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). However, in Singapore, vaccine uptake remains suboptimal relative to other routine childhood immunisations. Limited information exists regarding determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake in children. We estimated vaccine uptake and investigated factors associated with influenza and pneumococcal vaccination status by age group using data from a cohort study on acute respiratory infections in children attending preschools in Singapore. We recruited children aged two to six years at 24 participating preschools from June 2017 to July 2018. We determined the proportion of children immunised with influenza vaccine and PCV, and investigated socio-demographic factors associated with vaccine uptake using logistic regression models. Among 505 children, 77.5% were of Chinese ethnicity, and 53.1% were male. History of influenza vaccination was 27.5% of which 11.7% had been vaccinated within the past 12 months. In multivariable analyses, factors associated with influenza vaccine uptake were 'children living in landed property' (aOR = 2.25, 95% CI [1.07-4.67]) and 'history of hospitalisation due to cough' (aOR = 1.85, 95% CI [1.00-3.36]). Nearly three-quarters of participants (70.7% 95%CI: [66.6-74.5]) reported prior PCV vaccination. PCV uptake was higher for younger children. 'Higher parental education' (OR = 2.83, 95% CI [1.51,5.32]), 'household income' (OR = 1.26, 95% CI [1.08,1.48]) and 'smokers in household' (OR = 0.48, 95% CI [0.31,0.74]) were significantly associated with PCV uptake in univariable analyses. Only 'smokers in household' remained significantly associated with PCV uptake (aOR = 0.55, 95% CI [0.33,0.91]) in the adjusted model. Our results indicate that episodes of severe respiratory illness are a cue to influenza vaccination suggesting that doctors are more likely to recommend influenza vaccines to high-risk children. For PCV, our findings suggest overall greater awareness and education on the benefit of PCV vaccination is required.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285561
spellingShingle Marina Zahari
Vittoria Offeddu
Gavin J D Smith
Clarence C Tam
Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in Singapore.
PLoS ONE
title Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in Singapore.
title_full Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in Singapore.
title_fullStr Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in Singapore.
title_full_unstemmed Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in Singapore.
title_short Determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in Singapore.
title_sort determinants of influenza and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among preschool children in singapore
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285561
work_keys_str_mv AT marinazahari determinantsofinfluenzaandpneumococcalvaccineuptakeamongpreschoolchildreninsingapore
AT vittoriaoffeddu determinantsofinfluenzaandpneumococcalvaccineuptakeamongpreschoolchildreninsingapore
AT gavinjdsmith determinantsofinfluenzaandpneumococcalvaccineuptakeamongpreschoolchildreninsingapore
AT clarencectam determinantsofinfluenzaandpneumococcalvaccineuptakeamongpreschoolchildreninsingapore