Limited Awareness and Uptake Gaps of RSV Vaccine in Seniors

TOPLINE:

Only one tenth of hospitalized adults aged 60 years or older received the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine during its first season. Sociodemographic differences were observed, with higher vaccine uptake among those aged 75 years or older, those with pulmonary disease, and those with an immunocompromised status.

METHODOLOGY:

• In this cross-sectional study, researchers assessed patient characteristics as well as knowledge about and attitudes toward receiving RSV vaccine in older adults (age, ≥ 60 years) hospitalized with RSV-negative acute respiratory illness in the United States between October 1, 2023, and April 30, 2024.
• Overall, 6746 patients (median age, 73 years; 51.2% women) were included in the analysis using data from the multicenter surveillance network.
• Data on sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were extracted from health records, and patients underwent standardized interviews about their knowledge of RSV disease and vaccine receipt.
• The association between RSV vaccine receipt and influencing factors such as age, sex, medical conditions, insurance status, the social vulnerability index (SVI), and educational level was determined.

TAKEAWAY:

• Of the patients included in the overall analysis, only 10.4% were vaccinated. RSV vaccination was associated with being 75 years or older, having pulmonary disease, having an immunocompromised status, having a low or moderate SVI, completing ≥ 4 years of college, and completing at least some college or technical training (P < .001 for all).
• Those who did not complete interviews (n = 3052) were more likely to be older, not speak English, have higher rates of intensive care unit admission, and have dementia (P < .001 for all).
• Among 3694 patients who completed the interviews (475 vaccinated and 3219 unvaccinated), knowledge of RSV and vaccine eligibility was greater among educated individuals and those with a low SVI. Overall, 47.2% of unvaccinated patients reported not having heard of RSV or were unsure.
• Of the 438 patients who self-reported vaccination, 50.5% cited health benefits and 30.4% cited a physician’s recommendation. Among those who did not self-report receiving the vaccine, 54.9% cited awaiting a discussion with their physician before proceeding.

IN PRACTICE:

“Efforts to address sociodemographic differences in RSV vaccination may be most effective if they include a holistic approach that addresses general barriers to access to preventive care and overall factors associated with vaccine hesitancy,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Diya Surie, MD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta. It was published online on April 1, 2025, in JAMA Network Open.

LIMITATIONS:

The analysis included only hospitalized adults, who may not represent the general population of older adults. Additionally, a little more than half of the patients completed knowledge and attitude questions about RSV disease and vaccines, with respondents more likely to be younger, to speak English, and to have less severe illness.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Several authors reported having financial ties with pharmaceutical organizations such as Moderna Inc, Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Novartis AG, Roche, and Eli Lilly.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.