Peer-reviewed | Observational | People
Study based on 26.5 million Medicare records finds significant racial and ethnic disparities in uptake of seasonal flu vaccine in people living in the USA aged 65 years and older during the 2015-2016 flu season.
Inequities persist among those who were vaccinated, with racial and ethnic minority groups 26-32% less likely to receive the High Dose Vaccine, which is more effective in older people, compared with white older adults.
Authors note that while these results are from the 2015-2016 flu season, the findings point to systemic failings that may hamper efforts to vaccinate against COVID-19, which disproportionately affects minority populations.