Influenza vaccine effectiveness against influenza-related mortality in australian hospitalized patients: A propensity score analysis

Abstract

Background: Data on influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) against mortality are limited, with no Australian data to guide vaccine uptake. We aimed to assess IVE against influenza-related mortality in Australian hospitalized patients, assess residual confounding in the association between influenza vaccination and mortality, and assess whether influenza vaccination reduces the severity of influenza illness. Methods: Data were collected between 2010 and 2017 from a national Australian hospital-based sentinel surveillance system using a case-control design. Adults and children admitted to the 17 study hospitals with acute respiratory symptoms were tested for influenza using nucleic acid testing..