Evolution of vaccination rates after the implementation of a free systematic pneumococcal vaccination in Catalonian older adults: 4-years follow-up

BACKGROUND: The systematic vaccination with 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (PPV) was introduced as a strategic objective of health for all the people over 65 in Catalonia in 1999. We analysed the evolution of the pneumococcal vaccination rates from 2000 to 2003. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective population-based study including all the individuals 65 years or older assigned to 8 Primary Care Centres (PCCs) in Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain), who figured in the administrative population databases on 31 December 2003 (n = 10,410 persons). We assessed whether every person had received PPV during the last four years (2000 to 2003) or whether they had received it before January 2000. Data sources were the computerised clinical records of the 8 participating PCCs, which included adult vaccination registries and diagnoses coded of International Classification of Diseases 9(th )Review RESULTS: The overall vaccination uptake increased to 38.6% at the end of 2000. Global accumulated coverages increased more slowly the following years: 44.4% in 2001, 50.9% in 2002, and 53.1% at the end of 2003. Vaccine uptake varied significantly according to age (46.7% in people 65–74 years-old, 60.9% in people 75 years or more; p < 0.001) and number of diseases or risk factors (DRFs) for pneumonia (47.1% vaccinated in people without DRFs, 56.8% in patients with one DRF, and 62.2% in patients with two or more DRFs; p < 0.001). The highest coverages were observed among those patients with: diabetes (65.9%), active neoplasia (64.8%), history of stroke (63.7%), and chronic lung disease (63.5%). The lowest uptake was observed among smokers (48.7%). DISCUSSION: The pneumococcal vaccination coverage increased quickly after the introduction of the recommendation for free vaccination in all the elderly people (with and without risk factors), but two years after the improvement the coverage became stable and increased slowly.