Which states vaccinate the most?

WalletHub has released its report on 2023’s States that Vaccinate the Most, as well as expert commentary.

In order to find out which states vaccinate most, WalletHub analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 16 key metrics, ranging from the share of vaccinated children to the share of people without health insurance to the flu vaccination rate among adults.

Massachusetts has the highest influenza vaccination coverage for children, 77.7%, which is 2.1 times higher than in Wyoming, the state with the lowest at 37.8%.

Minnesota has the highest share of adults with the tetanus vaccination, 82.6%, which is 1.5 times higher than in New Jersey, the state with the lowest at 53.5%.

South Dakota has the highest share of adults aged 60 and older with the zoster vaccination, 55.1%, which is 2.1 times higher than in Mississippi, the state with the lowest at 26%.

Minnesota has the highest share of children 19 to 35 months old living in poverty with the combined 7-vaccine series, 84.3%, which is 1.7 times higher than in California, the state with the lowest at 50.7%.

To view the full report and your state or the District’s rank, please visit here. 

[Read more: CVS Health survey: More than two-thirds of Americans plan to get a flu shot this season]

What are the steps local authorities can take in order to counter the current anti-vaccination trend? 

Maribeth Kradel-Weitzel, assistant provost, associate professor and program director at Thomas Jefferson University said, “Vaccine uptake is a complicated matter without a universal solution, but positive change is possible by empathetically focusing on a particular audience. Take time to develop a deep understanding of your audience’s needs, wants, and barriers to inform your strategy. For example, a campaign focused on convincing an audience of the safety and efficacy of a vaccine may have little result if the true barrier is a lack of public transit to a vaccination site or a concern about providing personal identification. A popular patient advocacy slogan is ‘Nothing about us without us.’ This motto should apply to the design of any product, service, or communication strategy. One should never assume an understanding of the problem at hand in the absence of deep engagement with the targeted community. To do otherwise is arrogant and often results in wasted resources.”

[Read more: Immunization Nation: Pharmacist vaccination offers key resource against disease]

“An important part of countering a loss of vaccine confidence in a community is for local authorities, public health officials, and health care providers to establish connections within a community. A strong, unequivocal recommendation from a physician to get vaccinated is one of the strongest predictors of whether an individual gets vaccinated. Physicians who regularly engage with the community outside of the clinic are more likely to have these opportunities to discuss vaccines,” said Abram Wagner, assistant professor at University of Michigan.