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A majority of adults in the United States were not vaccinated for one or more vaccine-preventable diseases during the 2017-18 season, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Although COVID-19 vaccination continues to be a priority, the report says adults have often missed the recommended routine vaccines that provide protection against influenza, pneumonia, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and even shingles, depending on the patient’s age.
The CDC recommends vaccines for adults based on several factors, including their age, medical conditions, and vaccination history to prevent certain infectious diseases. For example, most people over 50 often meet the criteria for a shingles vaccine, while a pneumonia vaccine is often given to younger patients who may have chronic lung conditions, such as ‘asthma. In both of these cases, patients may be unaware of their eligibility for these vaccines.
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January 23, 2020: A patient receives a flu shot in Mesquite, Texas.
((AP Photo / LM Otero, File))
The CDC conducted a national cross-sectional population survey from August 2017 to June 2018 for influenza vaccination and from January to December 2018 for vaccines against pneumococcus, shingles, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, l hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV.
The results indicated low adoption among all age groups, with few adults aged 19 or older receiving all the vaccines appropriate for their age. Even among adults with higher immunization rates who reported having a usual place of health care, the results revealed missed opportunities in health facilities for immunizations, regardless of health care coverage.
Among adults who even had 10 or more contacts with a doctor in the past year, 20% to about 88% said they had not received the recommended injections. In addition, less than half of the American population has been vaccinated against the flu, according to the report.
Dr LJ Tan, head of policies and partnerships for the Immunization Action Coalition, recently told the American Medical Association that the COVID-19 pandemic has only made the problem worse.
When children go to see the doctor, vaccinations are a priority during the visit to the office. However, “adults generally work in acute care [needs]”he said.” You walk in when something’s going on. As a result, vaccines get lost in the shuffle. “
He estimated that 50,000 adults died from vaccine-preventable diseases each year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CDC recommends that healthcare providers review the immunization status of patients at each visit and recommend age-appropriate immunizations based on current guidelines.
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One way to increase immunization rates is to maximize electronic health records, according to the American Medical Association. The electronic health record can alert any healthcare professional that a vaccine is due, and then it can be scheduled before the end of the visit, if the patient wishes. Patient portals can also notify patients when vaccinations are due, while patients can simultaneously be made aware of the importance of the vaccine in preventing this particular infectious disease.
“We must continue to stress that the value is not just for pediatric populations,” Tan said. “It’s a lifetime value.”
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