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Article
LGBT Health and Vaccinations: Findings From a Community Health Survey of Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky, USA
Vaccine
  • Jeffery A. Jones, Georgia Southern University, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health
  • Asheley Poole, Georgia Southern University
  • Vivian Lasley-Bibbs, Kentucky Department of Public Health
  • Mark Johnson, Georgia Southern University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-6-2016
DOI
10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.02.054
Abstract

Data on adult immunization coverage at the state level and for LGBT Americans in particular are sparse. This study reports the results of a 2012 Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky, community health assessment's results asking about eight adult vaccinations among 218 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) respondents. Researchers collected data using an online survey distributed through LGBT social media, posters, and LGBT print media. The LGBT sample largely matches the demographics of the county as a whole except this group reports higher level of education and fewer uninsured individuals. Among LGBT respondents, immunization prevalence reaches 68.0% (annual Influenza), 65.7% (Hepatitis B), 58.8% (Chickenpox/Varicella), 55.9% (Hepatitis A), 41.2% (Smallpox), and 25.8% (Pneumonia). Among respondents who are currently within the recommended 19–26 years age range for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, the LGBT females are less likely to report receiving the vaccine (15.4%) compared to the national coverage percentage of 34.5%. Males, however, are more likely to have received the vaccine (10.3%) than the national percentage of 2.3%. The small number of LGBT seniors in the study report a much higher prevalence of the Shingles (Herpes Zoster) vaccines than for U.S. seniors 60 and older (71.4% compared to 20.1% nationally). LGBT respondents report higher percentages of adult vaccination.

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Citation Information
Jeffery A. Jones, Asheley Poole, Vivian Lasley-Bibbs and Mark Johnson. "LGBT Health and Vaccinations: Findings From a Community Health Survey of Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky, USA" Vaccine Vol. 34 Iss. 16 (2016) p. 1909 - 1914 ISSN: 0264-410X
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jeff_jones/126/