Influenza vaccination in Western Australian children: Exploring the health benefits and cost savings of increased vaccine coverage in children
Christopher C. Blyth,
Parveen Fathima,
Rebecca Pavlos,
Peter Jacoby,
Olivia Pavy,
Elizabeth Geelhoed,
Peter C Richmond,
Paul V. Effler,
Hannah C. Moore
Affiliations
Christopher C. Blyth
Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia; Department of Microbiology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine, QEII Medical Centre, Perth, WA, Australia; Corresponding authors at: Perth Children’s Hospital, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia (C. Blyth). Telethon Kids Institute, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia (H. Moore).
Parveen Fathima
Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Rebecca Pavlos
Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
Peter Jacoby
Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
Olivia Pavy
Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
Elizabeth Geelhoed
Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
Peter C Richmond
Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; Department of Immunology, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia; Department of General Paediatrics, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
Paul V. Effler
Communicable Disease Control Directorate, Department of Health, Perth, WA, Australia
Hannah C. Moore
Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Corresponding authors at: Perth Children’s Hospital, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia (C. Blyth). Telethon Kids Institute, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia (H. Moore).
Introduction: To assess potential benefits and direct healthcare cost savings with expansion of an existing childhood influenza immunisation program, we developed a dynamic transmission model for the state of Western Australia, evaluating increasing coverage in children $A1.5 million dollars were observed for every 10 % increase in vaccine coverage in children < 5 years. Additional benefits were observed by including primary school age children (5–11 years) in the funded influenza vaccination program - a reduction in cases, presentations, hospitalisations and approximately $A4 million net costs savings were observed for every 10 % increase in coverage. The further addition of older children (12–17 years) resulted in only moderate additional net cost savings figures, compared with a 5–11year-old program alone. Net costs savings were predominantly derived by a reduction in influenza-associated hospitalisation in adults. Conclusions: Any increase in influenza vaccine coverage in children < 5 years, above a base case of 50 % coverage resulted in a substantive reduction in influenza cases, presentations, hospitalisations and net costs when applied to the West Australian population. However, the most impactful pediatric program, from both a disease prevention and costs perspective, would be one that increased vaccination coverage among primary-school aged children.
