According to a recent report from personal finance website WalletHub, Texas is the seventh-lowest vaccinated state in the country.
The study, called "2023’s States that Vaccinate the Most," looked to determine which U.S. states vaccinated the most and least, based on data gathered from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kaiser Family Foundation, among others.
To determine which states were most up to date on their shots, WalletHub compared them all based on three major categories related to vaccinations: Children and Teenagers Immunization Rates, Adult and Elderly Vaccination Rates, as well as Immunization Uptake Disparities and Influencing Factors. Within each major category were a number of key metrics that helped WalletHub to put together its rankings. Among these metrics included adult flu vaccination rates, influenza vaccination rate of children, percentage of people without health insurance and more.
The Lone Star State achieved its low ranking by placing 48th for immunization uptake disparities, 45th for adult and elderly vaccine rates, as well as 39th for child/teenager immunization percentages. Among the glaring metrics with which Texas ranked below the national average included the share of civilians without health insurance coverage (placing dead last), the share of teenagers with up-to-date HPV vaccinations (48th), the amount of adults with tetanus vaccinations (44th) and flu vaccination rates for adults (42nd).
The only six states that ranked below Texas for the least vaccinated places in America were Oklahoma, Wyoming, Georgia, Arizona, Alaska and Mississippi — which found itself at the bottom of the list.
According to the study, the five most vaccinated states in the country were Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Iowa, Vermont and Connecticut.
Amidst these results, WalletHub asked a series of experts about what local authorities could do to combat the current anti-vaccination trend occurring throughout the country.
“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," said Abram L. Wagner, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan. "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.”
To view the full study, visit WalletHub.
