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A case-control study of risk factors for death from 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1): is American Indian racial status an independent risk factor?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2015

T. W. HENNESSY*
Affiliation:
Arctic Investigations Program, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Anchorage, AK, USA
D. BRUDEN
Affiliation:
Arctic Investigations Program, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Anchorage, AK, USA
L. CASTRODALE
Affiliation:
State of Alaska, Division of Public Health, Anchorage, AK, USA
K. KOMATSU
Affiliation:
Arizona Department of Health Services, Phoenix, AZ, USA
L. M. ERHART
Affiliation:
Arizona Department of Health Services, Phoenix, AZ, USA
D. THOMPSON
Affiliation:
New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM, USA
K. BRADLEY
Affiliation:
Oklahoma State Department of Health, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
D. R. O'LEARY
Affiliation:
Wyoming Department of Health, Cheyenne, WY, USA
J. McLAUGHLIN
Affiliation:
State of Alaska, Division of Public Health, Anchorage, AK, USA
M. LANDEN
Affiliation:
New Mexico Department of Health, Santa Fe, NM, USA
*
* Author for correspondence: T. W. Hennessy, MD, MPH, CDC Arctic Investigations Program, 4055 Tudor Centre Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508, USA. (Email: Tbh0@cdc.gov)
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Summary

Historically, American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations have suffered excess morbidity and mortality from influenza. We investigated the risk factors for death from 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) in persons residing in five states with substantial AI/AN populations. We conducted a case-control investigation using pandemic influenza fatalities from 2009 in Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wyoming. Controls were outpatients with influenza. We reviewed medical records and interviewed case proxies and controls. We used multiple imputation to predict missing data and multivariable conditional logistic regression to determine risk factors. We included 145 fatal cases and 236 controls; 22% of cases were AI/AN. Risk factors (P < 0·05) included: older age [adjusted matched odds ratio (mOR) 3·2, for >45 years vs. <18 years], pre-existing medical conditions (mOR 7·1), smoking (mOR 3·0), delayed receipt of antivirals (mOR 6·5), and barriers to healthcare access (mOR 5·3). AI/AN race was not significantly associated with death. The increased influenza mortality in AI/AN individuals was due to factors other than racial status. Prevention of influenza deaths should focus on modifiable factors (smoking, early antiviral use, access to care) and identifying high-risk persons for immunization and prompt medical attention.

Information

Type
Original Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 
Figure 0

Fig. 1. Fatal influenza cases by week of death, 2009, for five states (Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming) and overall United States.

Figure 1

Table 1. Characteristics of participants, influenza mortality investigation for five states (Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming), 2009

Figure 2

Table 2. Univariate risk factors for death due to H1N1 in a matched case-control investigation, five states (Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming), 2009

Figure 3

Table 3. Risks factors for influenza mortality, multivariable results for matched case-control investigation, for five states (Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming), 2009

Figure 4

Table 4. Univariate risk factors for influenza mortality in American Indian/Alaska Native persons (alone or in combination with other races), for five states (Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming), 2009