More Than Four in 10 Adults Not Up to Date on Measles Vaccine

THURSDAY, April 23, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Substantial gaps in adult measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination exist, according to a study published online April 10 in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.Sahithi Malireddy, from the University of California, Riverside, and colleagues assessed adult MMR up-to-date status, as well as knowledge and willingness to receive vaccination in the emergency department. The analysis included survey responses from 2,456 adults (aged 18 to 64 years) treated at one of 10 U.S. emergency departments from April to December 2024.The researchers found that 25.0 percent of respondents had not heard of the MMR vaccine and 44.0 percent were not up to date. Being unvaccinated was associated with male sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.21), non-Hispanic African American race (OR, 2.27), Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 1.98), non-English speakers (OR, 1.53), and not having primary care access (OR, 1.25). More than one-third of those who were not up to date (36.5 percent) were willing to receive an MMR vaccine in the emergency department."This really offers health care systems an opportunity to leverage emergency departments not only for emergent care, but also as spaces to deliver accessible, evidence-based public health interventions and improve vaccine equity," Malireddy said in a statement. "By leveraging emergency departments as points of intervention, health care systems may be able to reach individuals who would otherwise fall through the cracks of preventive care."Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

More Than Four in 10 Adults Not Up to Date on Measles Vaccine

Related Stories