Health at a Glance

View the most recent version.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.

Archived

This page has been archived on the Web.

Flu vaccination rates in Canada

Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-624-X
by Linda Gionet

[Full article in PDF]

Skip to text

• Highlights
• Higher percentage of people receiving the flu vaccine
• Flu vaccination rates increased in all provinces and territories except Ontario
• Flu vaccination rates decreased among seniors while they increased among younger Canadians
• Flu vaccination rates among seniors differed across the provinces
• Flu vaccination rates among people under 65 with one or more selected chronic conditions remained below the national target
• Conclusion
• Data source, method and definitions
• References and notes
• Related material for this article

Text begins

Start of text box

End of text box

Millions of Canadians become infected with seasonal influenza (flu) each year.^Note 1 Although most people recover from this type of respiratory infection within ten days, some people are at risk of more serious complications such as pneumonia. There is an average of about 12,200 flu-related hospitalizations^{Note 2, Note 3, Note 4} and 3,500 deaths from the flu each year.^Note 5 When flu and pneumonia were combined, they represented the eighth leading cause of death in Canada in 2011.^Note 6

The National Advisory Committee on Immunizations (NACI) recommends that Canadians six months of age and older get vaccinated against the flu every year. ^{Note 7, Note 8} The flu vaccine serves to protect the recipient, and also helps prevent the spread of the virus to others.

In this article, national, provincial and territorial flu vaccination rates are presented for those aged 12 and over who received a flu vaccination within the 12 months prior to responding to the survey. Flu vaccination rates are also provided for two groups at high risk of complications from the flu: seniors aged 65 and over and those under 65 with selected chronic conditions.

Data for this article are from the 2003 to 2014 Canadian Community Health Survey-Annual Component (CCHS-Annual).

Higher percentage of people receiving the flu vaccine

In 2013–2014, nearly a third of Canadians received a flu vaccination within the 12 months prior to responding to the survey. The age-standardized rate was 30% in 2003, increased to 36% in 2005 and then decreased to 31% in 2013–2014 (Chart 1). As with previous studies, respondents of the 2013–2014 CCHS who got a flu vaccination were more likely to have a regular medical doctor, and tended to be: female, older, less educated, and in fair or poor health.^{Note 9, Note 10, Note 11} 

The majority of people who were not vaccinated in the 12 months prior to responding to the survey felt it was unnecessary (56%) while 26% “didn’t get around to it” in 2013–2014 (data not shown).

Description for chart 1

Between 2003 and 2013–2014, there were a number of key developments that may have had an impact on flu vaccination rates. One example is the H1N1 pandemic during the 2009–2010 flu season, resulting in a nation-wide promotional campaign and an extensive vaccination program.  According to the 2010 CCHS, 41% of Canadians got the H1N1 vaccine (excluding the territories).^Note 12 The 2009–2010 flu season was unique in that the H1N1 vaccine was separate from the regular flu vaccine. As such, it may have influenced the flu vaccination rates during that time.

Another change that may have had an impact on flu vaccination rates was that, following the H1N1 pandemic, five provinces and one territory joined Ontario, Yukon and Nunavut in providing flu vaccines free of charge to more people (universal coverage).^{Note 13, Note 14} Another key development is the increasing availability of flu vaccines at pharmacies in select provinces.^{Note 15, Note 16}

Flu vaccination rates increased in all provinces and territories except Ontario

Flu vaccination rates increased in all provinces and territories except Ontario between 2003 and 2013–2014. Nova Scotia had the highest provincial flu vaccination rate (45%), while Quebec had the lowest (24%) in 2013–2014 (Chart 2).  

Description for chart 2

In Quebec, the flu vaccination rate was 24% in 2013–2014, similar to the rate in 2003. Within the province, however, there were notable increases during that time period in two health regions:  la Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine in eastern Quebec and Montérégie near Montreal.^Note 17

Ontario was the one province where the flu vaccination rate was lower in 2013–2014 at 34%, down from 38% in 2003. Within the province, the greatest declines were in the health regions of the Middlesex-London health unit (southwest Ontario) and in the Eastern Ontario health unit. 

The largest increases in flu vaccination rates between 2003 and 2013–2014 occurred in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In Nova Scotia, specifically, females aged 12 to 44 had double the increase in their vaccination rate (from 18% to 37%) compared with their male counterparts (data not shown).

Flu vaccination rates decreased among seniors while they increased among younger Canadians

Seniors (aged 65 and over) are a group identified by the NACI as being at risk of health complications from the flu.^Note 7 In response, the NACI set a national target where 80% of seniors should be vaccinated.^Note 18 In the past 12 years, the closest that seniors in Canada have come to reaching this target was 71% in 2005 (data not shown).

In 2013–2014, 64% of seniors got a flu vaccination; down from 67% in 2003. Meanwhile, the rate increased among younger Canadians (12 to 44 years) from 16% to 19% during the same time period (Table 1).

Table 1
Flu vaccination^Note 1 rates by age group, Canada, 2003 and 2013–2014
Table summary
This table displays the results of Flu vaccination rates by age group. The information is grouped by Age groups (appearing as row headers), 2003 and 2013–2014, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Age groups	2003	2013–2014
	percent
12 to 44	16	19Note *
12 to 17	18	23Note *
18 to 34	13	17Note *
35 to 44	18	22Note *
45 to 64	32	32
45 to 54	26	25
55 to 64	39	39
65 and over	67	64Note *
Note * significantly different from 2003 estimate of the same age group (p<0.05) Return to note * referrer Note 1. Refers to Canadians who received a flu vaccination within the 12 months prior to responding to the survey. Return to note 1 referrer Sources: Statistics Canada, 2003 and 2013–2014, Canadian Community Health Surveys.

Flu vaccination rates among seniors differed across the provinces

Between 2003 and 2013–2014, changes in provincial flu vaccination rates among seniors did not mirror those among all Canadians 12 years and over. In all four Atlantic provinces, for instance, flu vaccination rates increased among the general population (Chart 2), while the rate among seniors only increased in New Brunswick during that time period (Chart 3).

Moreover, the increases in flu vaccination rates among the general population in the three Prairie provinces and British Columbia were not reflected in the senior population. In fact, vaccination rates among seniors decreased between 2003 and 2013–2014 in Saskatchewan and British Columbia and remained unchanged in Manitoba and Alberta.

Description for chart 3

Flu vaccination rates among people under 65 with one or more selected chronic conditions remained below the national target

Another group at risk of complications from the flu are those under 65 with one or more selected chronic conditions, including: heart disease, effects of stroke, asthma, diabetes, cancer, emphysema, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a high level of obesity (class 3).^{Note 7, Note 19}

As with the senior population, the NACI also established a goal to vaccinate 80% of Canadians under 65 with selected chronic conditions.^Note 18 Although, overall, Canadians with selected chronic conditions in 2013–2014 had a higher vaccination rate (32%) than those with no chronic conditions (22%), they were still well below the NACI target (Table 2). 

There were notable regional differences in vaccination rates among those with one or more selected chronic conditions (Table 2). The largest decrease was in Ontario where the proportion of those vaccinated dropped from 43% in 2003 to 34% in 2013–2014. 

In contrast, increases over time in the vaccination rate among this at-risk group occurred in the Atlantic and Prairie provinces. The largest increase was 12 percentage points in the Atlantic provinces, where 43% were vaccinated in 2013–2014, up from 31% in 2003.

Table 2
Age-standardized^Note 1 flu vaccination^Note 2 rates by one or more selected chronic conditions^Note 3, population aged 12 to 64, Canada and regions, 2003 and 2013–2014
Table summary
This table displays the results of Age-standardized flu vaccination rates by one or more selected chronic conditions. The information is grouped by Canada and regions (appearing as row headers), One or more selected chronic conditions, No selected chronic conditions, 2003 and 2013–2014, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Canada and regions	One or more selected chronic conditions		No selected chronic conditions
	2003	2013–2014	2003	2013–2014
	percent
Canada	34	32	20	22Note *
Atlantic provincesNote 4	31	43Note *	16	28Note *
Quebec	25	25	12	15Note *
Ontario	43	34Note *	28	25Note *
Prairie provincesNote 4	27	31Note *	16	25Note *
British Columbia	31	35	19	24Note *
Note * significantly different from 2003 estimate of the same geography (p<0.05) Return to note * referrer Note 1. The data were age-standardized to the age structure of the Canadian respondents of the 2013–2014 Canadian Community Health Survey. Return to note 1 referrer Note 2. Refers to Canadians who received a flu vaccination within the 12 months prior to responding to the survey. Return to note 2 referrer Note 3. Selected chronic conditions: refers to people with one or more of the following chronic conditions that was diagnosed by a health professional and is expected to have lasted six months or more: asthma, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, effects of stroke, obesity (class 3), bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Return to note 3 referrer Note 4. The Atlantic provinces and the Prairie provinces were each combined to produce sample sizes that were large enough to compare 2003 and 2013–2014 data. Return to note 4 referrer Notes: The territories were excluded due to insufficient sample size for comparing 2003 and 2013–2014 data. Sources: Statistics Canada, 2003 and 2013–2014 Canadian Community Health Surveys.

Conclusion

Almost one-third of Canadians aged 12 and over got a flu vaccination in 2013–2014. With the exception of Ontario, the percentage of people who got a flu vaccination was higher in 2013–2014 than in 2003 for all provinces and territories.

While the flu vaccination rate among seniors was double that of the general population, it still did not reach the target of 80% for this high-risk group.  In fact, the flu vaccination rate among Canadian seniors decreased between 2003 and 2013–2014.  People in another high risk group – those under 65 with select chronic conditions– had a flu vaccination rate that was lower than the target of 80%.

Further research is needed to better understand the differences in provincial and territorial rates, including the impact of promotional campaigns, free coverage for flu vaccines as well as increasing access to vaccines at pharmacies. 

Start of text box

End of text box

---

Linda Gionet is an analyst with the Health Statistics Division.

---

References and notes