The association between history of screening for cancer and receipt of an annual flu vaccination: Are there reinforcing effects of prevention seeking?

Abstract

Background: Receipt of an annual flu vaccination (AFV) is a preventative health measure that reduces the risk of infection with the flu. Screening for cancer (SC) is another recommended preventative health measure. The current study hypothesizes that people who have previously obtained a cancer screening are motivated to receive other preventative health measures.

Methods: Testing the association between a history of SC and receipt of an AFV used data from the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. The association was investigated using weighted and adjusted multivariable logistic regression models on multiple age-based groups chosen according to cancer screening recommendations.

Results: The odds of individuals with a history of SC receiving an AFV were significantly greater in women screened for colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer, and men screened for colorectal cancer, when compared with those without a history of SC after adjusting for confounders of interest. It is notable that no association was found between screening for cervical cancer and the receipt of AFV for women aged 30-65 years (odds ratio: 1.06; 95% confidence interval: 0.92, 1.21), and 50-65 years (odds ratio: 1.14; 95% confidence interval: 0.93, 1.40).

Conclusions: More research is necessary to understand why cervical cancer screenings are not associated with receipt of an AFV.

Keywords: BRFSS 2016; Cancer screening; Influenza; Influenza vaccination.