Vaccination coverage and associated factors for receipt of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in Taiwan

Older adults, particularly those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are advised to receive 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23). However, the PPV23 vaccination rate in Taiwan and the determinants of receipt remain unclear.We analyzed the data of 1475 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥75 years who participated in the Healthy Aging Longitudinal Study in Taiwan. Each participant received assessments of PPV23 status, sociodemographic factors (age, sex, education level, marital status, living alone, and occupation), and health-related factors (chronic diseases, smoking status, alcohol intake, physical activities, cognitive status, and physical performance). PPV23 rate was defined as the number of participants who reported receiving free PPV23 divided by the total number of candidates for free PPV23. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was applied to investigate the sociodemographic and health-related determinants of PPV23 status.A PPV23 vaccination rate of 20.7% (305/1475) was observed. Participants who were female, current smokers, and had a low peak expiratory flow were associated with PPV23 nonreceipt (all P <.05). Of the participants who had a low peak expiratory flow, low education status, and physical inactivity were associated with PPV23 nonreceipt (all P <.05).The PPV23 vaccination rate among adults aged ≥75 years was low. Older adults who were women, current smokers, or who had a low PEF were less likely to receive the PPV23. These findings support continual efforts to improve the PPV23 coverage rate in vulnerable populations.