Potential cost savings attributable to influenza vaccination of school-aged children

Objective. To analyze the costs and benefits of influenza vaccination of healthy school-aged children. Design. The analysis was based on data from the literature. Total costs included direct medical costs for vaccination, physician visits, and treatment as well as indirect costs. Indirect costs were in the form of lost productivity when working parents stayed home to care for ill children or to take children to an office for vaccination. The total costs of vaccination strategies were compared with the total cost of not vaccinating. For the base case, the vaccine was assumed to have no effect on rates of otitis media. Setting. Two hypothetical scenarios were investigated 1) individual-initiated vaccination and 2) vaccination in a group-based setting. The former scenario required the child to be accompanied to a clinic by a parent during usual work hours. Results. Vaccination resulted in a net savings per child vaccinated of $4 for individual-initiated vaccination and of $35 for group-based vaccination. The savings were caused primarily by averted indirect costs. Moderate increases in the cost of vaccination or reductions in the rate of influenza would eliminate the savings for individual-initiated vaccination but not for group-based vaccination. Alternatively, if influenza vaccination was effective in reducing rates of otitis media, the net savings from vaccination would be substantially higher than the base case. Conclusion. Vaccination of school-aged children against influenza could have substantial financial benefits to society, especially if performed in a group-based setting.