BELLEVUE, Wash., June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Researchers from Truveta have found that uptake of the shingles vaccine Shingrix has increased substantially among adults newly eligible for vaccination, though significant disparities persist across racial, geographic, and socioeconomic groups.
Using Truveta Data, the study, published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, analyzed electronic health record and linked medical and pharmacy claims data from 153,899 immunocompetent adults who turned 50 between 2018 and 2024. Researchers examined vaccination trends, completion of the two-dose vaccine series, and factors associated with receiving the vaccine.
Among adults who became eligible for Shingrix in 2024, 14.0% received at least one dose within a year of eligibility—their 50th birthday—compared with just 2.6% among those who became eligible in 2018. Among adults who turned 50 in 2022, more than one-quarter (27.5%) received the vaccine within three years of eligibility.
“We found encouraging evidence that Shingrix vaccination has become increasingly accepted among adults who first become eligible for it—with 1 in 7 adults who turned 50 in 2024 getting the vaccine before they turn 51,” said Nina B. Masters, PhD, MPH, Principal Applied Research Scientist at Truveta and lead author of the study. “At the same time, our findings highlight persistent gaps in uptake that warrant focused public health attention.”
The study also found strong completion rates among those who initiated vaccination in their first year of eligibility. Among adults who received their first Shingrix dose within a year of becoming eligible, 62.6% completed the two-dose series within six months and 74.5% completed it within one year.
Researchers identified several factors associated with vaccination uptake. Receiving an influenza vaccine during the year an individual turned 50 was among the strongest predictors of receiving Shingrix. Women and Asian adults were more likely to initiate vaccination, while Black adults, Medicaid/CHIP enrollees, rural residents, and individuals with cardiovascular disease were less likely to receive the vaccine.
Disparities were also observed in completion of the two-dose series. Black adults and Medicaid/CHIP enrollees had significantly lower odds of completing the vaccination series compared with White adults and commercially insured individuals.
Shingles, caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, affects approximately one in three people in the United States during their lifetime. Shingrix has been recommended for immunocompetent adults aged 50 and older since late 2017.
“Our results suggest there may be important opportunities to increase vaccination through preventive care touchpoints, such as co-administration with one’s seasonal flu vaccine,” said Masters. “But more work needs to be done to build trust, answer questions, and provide opportunities for vaccination to help address the disparities we observed among Black adults, rural communities, and individuals with Medicaid coverage.”
About the study
The retrospective cohort study used Truveta Data, a nationwide electronic health record dataset representing more than 130 million patients across the United States, linked with patients’ medical and pharmacy claims data. Researchers evaluated vaccination initiation and series completion among immunocompetent adults turning 50 between 2018 and 2024.
The full study, Predictors of initiation and completion of Shingrix vaccination in immunocompetent adults newly eligible for vaccination from 2018–2024, is available online in Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics.
About Truveta
Truveta is a real-world intelligence company transforming medical science with unprecedented data and AI. Truveta powers breakthrough discoveries, accelerates regulatory-grade evidence, and unlocks real-time insights from a dataset uniquely built with and owned by US health systems—united by a mission of Saving Lives with Data.
Truveta membership includes: Providence, Advocate Health, Trinity Health, Tenet Healthcare, Northwell Health, AdventHealth, Baptist Health of Northeast Florida, Baylor Scott & White Health, Bon Secours Mercy Health, CommonSpirit Health, Hawaii Pacific Health, HealthPartners, Henry Ford Health System, HonorHealth, Inova, Lehigh Valley Health Network, MedStar Health, Memorial Hermann Health System, MetroHealth, Novant Health, Ochsner Health, Premier Health, Saint Luke’s Health System, Sanford Health, Sentara Healthcare, Texas Health Resources, TriHealth, UnityPoint Health, Virtua Health, and WellSpan Health.
- Shingrix vaccination uptake immediately after eligibility