Varicella Vaccination Coverage among Adolescents Ages 13–17 Years, United States, National Immunization Survey, 2007–2014

Abstract

BackgroundVaricella is typically a self-limiting disease but it can be more severe in adolescents and adults. In 2007, 2-doses of varicella vaccine were routinely recommended for children, with a catch-up second dose for persons who received 1 prior dose.MethodsWe used 2007–2014 NIS-Teen data to examine trends in ≥2 dose varicella vaccination coverage and proportions of adolescents with/without evidence of immunity to varicella. Evidence of immunity included receipt of ≥2 doses of varicella vaccine or varicella disease history. Additionally, using 2014 data, we assessed characteristics of ≥2 dose varicella vaccination coverage: 1) factors associated with ≥2 dose vaccination, 2) timing of receipt of second dose and 3) missed opportunities for second dose vaccination among adolescents who had received 1 prior dose of varicella vaccine.ResultsDuring 2007–2014, the proportion of adolescents with ≥2 doses of varicella vaccine increased from 8.3% to 66.9% in 13–15 year olds, and from 3.6% to 56.7% in 16–17 year olds. The proportion of adolescents with evidence of varicella immunity also increased for both age groups, from 68.0% to 84.1% in 13–15 year olds and from 78.6% to 83.4% in 16–17 year olds. Among adolescents who received ≥2 doses of varicella vaccine by 2014, a higher proportion of 13–15 year olds received their second dose at 4–6 years compared with 16–17 year olds (13.4% vs. 3.2%). Factors significantly associated with lower ≥2 dose coverage included non-Hispanic White race/ethnicity; rural residence; living at >133% of the income-to-poverty ratio; no 11- to 12-year well-child visit; not receiving an adolescent vaccine; and residence in a state with no 2-dose immunization school entry requirement. Among the 2,478 adolescents who received only 1-dose of varicella vaccine, 77.1% (1,922) had at least 1 missed opportunity to receive their second dose; potentially 2-dose coverage could have increased from 79.5% to 94.8%.ConclusionThe ≥2-dose varicella vaccination coverage and the proportion of adolescents with evidence of immunity to varicella increased during 2007 to 2014, though 16% lacked evidence of immunity in 2014. Though catch-up campaigns have succeeded, decreasing missed vaccination opportunities will help with further improvement.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.