New Report Finds Low Adult Vaccination Rates in United States

A new report, "Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives," released by the Trust for America's Health, the Infectious Diseases Society of America), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, found that more than 30% of adults aged 65 and older had not been immunized against pneumonia in 36 states as of 2008. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other experts recommend that all seniors should be vaccinated against pneumonia, which is a one-time shot for most individuals, since seniors who get the seasonal flu are at risk for developing pneumonia as a complication.

Nationally, 33.1% of seniors had not been immunized against pneumonia, and even in, Oregon, the state with the highest immunization rate, 26.8% of seniors were not immunized. Washington, D.C. had the lowest number of seniors immunized, with 45.6% of seniors not immunized.

Overall, the report found 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 healthcare costs each year. In addition to low rates of pneumonia immunizations, only 2.1% of eligible adults had the tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough vaccine in the previous two years; only 10% of eligible adult women have had the human papillomavirus vaccine; and only 36.1% of all adults were vaccinated against the seasonal flu in 2008.

The report identified several key reasons why adult vaccination rates remain low in the United States despite the recommendation of medical experts, including:

-  Limited access:  Most adults are outside of institutionalized settings, like the military or colleges, where vaccines can be required.

-  Limited care and insurance coverage: Primary and preventive care for adults is limited, particularly for the uninsured and underinsured.

-  Limited financing for immunizations: Many adults have medical insurance that does not pay for vaccines and their administration, so out-of-pocket costs may be prohibitive for many individuals.

-  Misunderstanding and misinformation: Many adults are misinformed about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

-  Limited research and development: Vaccine research, development, and production have been limited in the United States for decades.

The full report is available at www.healthyamericans.org, www.idsociety.org, and www.rwjf.org.

— Source: Trust for America's Health