Influenzas Economic Burden and the Impact of Adult Vaccination

BackgroundSeasonal influenza imposes a significant clinical and economic burden in the United States despite the availability of effective vaccines. ObjectivesTo estimate the cost of illness associated with seasonal influenza among U.S. adults and to examine the relationship between vaccination coverage and influenza related outcomes. MethodsWe combined Centers for Disease Control and Prevention influenza burden estimates with contemporary healthcare utilization, cost, and labor market data to estimate direct medical costs and productivity losses for the 2023 24 influenza season. Panel data regressions with fixed effects were used to evaluate the association between adult influenza vaccination rates and hospitalization and mortality outcomes using data from the 2010 11 through 2023 24 seasons. Scenario analyses assessed how alternative vaccination rates would have affected costs and mortality. ResultsInfluenza among adults was associated with an estimated $29 billion in total economic burden in the 2023 24 season, including approximately $16 billion in direct healthcare costs and $13 billion in productivity losses. Higher vaccination rates were significantly associated with lower mortality among adults aged 18 years and older and reduced hospitalization rates among adults aged 50 years and older. Achieving historical peak vaccination coverage would have reduced total costs by approximately $3 billion and averted more than 8000 deaths. ConclusionsAdult influenza vaccination is associated with substantial reductions in mortality and economic burden, underscoring its value as a cost relevant public health intervention.