Report Calls for National Strategy to Make Vaccines a Regular Part of Adult Medical Care
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According to a February 2010 report titled “Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives,” millions of American adults go without routine and recommended vaccinations each year, which leads to an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 preventable deaths, thousands of preventable illnesses, and $10 billion in preventable health care costs annually. The issue brief is a joint publication of the Trust for America's Health, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The report includes new data about the number of adults 65 years of age and older in each state who have been immunized against pneumonia, as well as adults of all ages who have been immunized against the seasonal flu. Notable findings include:
• Only two thirds of older adults had received the pneumococcal vaccine as of 2008. Even in the state with the highest immunization rate (Oregon), more than one fourth of older adults (26.8%) were not vaccinated.
• Slightly more than one third (36.1%) of adults received the seasonal flu vaccine in 2008. Even in the state with the highest vaccination rate (South Dakota), Fewer than half of adults (49.2%) were vaccinated.
“Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives” reviews reasons why adult vaccination rates are so low and identifies actions needed to develop and implement an effective national immunization strategy. The complete report is available at the following URL: http://healthyamericans.org/assets/files/TFAH2010AdultImmnzBrief13.pdf.