Impact of state vaccine financing policy on uptake of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Objective. We examined heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) uptake among children aged 19 to 35 months in the United States and determined how uptake rates differed by state vaccine financing policy. Methods. We analyzed data from the 2001-2003 National Immunization Survey. States that changed their vaccine financing policy between 2001 and 2003 (n = 17) were excluded from analysis. Logistic regression was performed to identify the association between state vaccine financing policy and receipt of 3 or more doses of PCV7 after control for demographic characteristics. Results. The proportion of children receiving 3 or more doses increased from 6.7% in 2001 to 69.0% in 2003. After controlling for demographic characteristics, children residing in states that provided all vaccines except PCV7 to all children had lower odds of receiving 3 or more doses compared to children residing in states that provided PCV7 only to children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program (odds ratio = 0.58; 95% confidence interval = 0.51, 0.66). Conclusion. It is essential that we continue to monitor the effect that state vaccine financing policy has on the delivery of PCV7 and future vaccines, which are likely to be increasingly expensive.