Progress towards Canadian target coverage rates for influenza and pneumococcal immunizations

Volume 27-10
15 May 2001

[Table of Contents]

PROGRESS TOWARDS CANADIAN TARGET COVERAGE RATES FOR INFLUENZA AND PNEUMOCOCCAL IMMUNIZATIONS

National targets for influenza and pneumococcal immunization coverage rates were agreed upon at the national consensus conferences on influenza (1993) and pneumococcal disease (1998)^(1,2). Target coverage rates, based on the National Advisory Committee on Immunization's (NACI) recommended target groups, are as follows: (1) influenza vaccine: 70% coverage for both (a) persons >= 65 years of age and (b) all persons with high risk medical conditions (excluding residents of long-term care facilities) by the year 2000-2001⁽¹⁾, and; (2) pneumococcal vaccine: 80% coverage for all recommended target groups (similar populations as influenza vaccine) by the year 2003⁽²⁾. A recent survey indicated that 12 out of 13 provinces and territories (PT) have publicly funded influenza immunization programs and all PT have publicly-funded pneumococcal programs⁽³⁾. To evaluate the progress towards these national targets, the Division of Respiratory Diseases commissioned a polling company to conduct a random-digit dialling telephone survey to estimate national influenza and pneumococcal immunization coverage rates. Residents from all PT were included. PT sample sizes were weighted based on their proportion of the Canadian population. In January and February 2001, 3,501 non-institutionalized Canadian residents >= 18 years of age were surveyed. Table 1 shows the results of the survey.

The results of this survey indicate that Canada has met its target coverage rate for influenza immunizations in the >= 65 years of age risk group. Canada has not met its target coverage rate for influenza immunizations for all persons with high-risk medical conditions and is currently not well placed to meet its target coverage rates for pneumococcal immunizations for 2003. Efforts need to be intensified to target these high-risk groups to improve their influenza and pneumococcal immunization coverage rates.

Table 1: National immunization coverage estimates for influenza and pneumococcal disease, 2001
Influenza
Risk group	National target immunization coverage rates	Proportion immunized during the 2000-2001 influenza season	95% Confidence interval
>= 65 years of age	70%	69.1%	65.0% - 73.2%
18 - 64 years of age, with high risk medical conditions⁽⁴⁾	70%	38.4%	35.1% - 41.8%
Health care workers with close contact with patients		54.8%	49.0% - 60.6%
Pneumococcal disease
Risk group	National target immunization coverage rates	Proportion Ever Immunized	95% Confidence Interval
>= 65 years of age	80%	42.2%	37.8% - 46.6%
18 - 64 years of age, with high risk medical conditions⁽⁴⁾	80%	15.4%	12.5% - 18.3%

References

LCDC. Canadian consensus conference on influenza. CCDR 1993:19;136-46.
LCDC. Preventing pneumococcal disease: A Canadian consensus conference, February 16 to 18, 1998. Can J Infect Dis 1999; 9(supplement A):4A-10A.
Squires SG, Pelletier L. Publicly funded influenza and pneumococcal immunization programs in Canada: a progress report. CCDR 2000;26:141-48.
National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Influenza vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine. In: Canadian Immunization Guide. 5th ed. Ottawa, Ont.: Health Canada 1998;103-10:140-43. (Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, Cat. No. H49-8/1998E.)

Source: SG Squires MSc, JF Macey MA, MSc, T Tam BMBS (UK), FRCPC, Division of Respiratory Diseases, Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

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	Last Updated: 2001-05-15		Important Notices