Protecting adults from disability and death
About
Each year about 48,000 adults die from vaccine preventable diseases in the United States. Immunizing adults prevents illness and death from diseases such as influenza, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, and rubella. The public health objectives established by Healthy People 2010 include a goal of achieving 90% immunization coverage of people over 65 for annual influenza vaccination and one-time pneumococcal disease vaccination. Current levels fall far short of this goal. Annual influenza vaccination coverage rates for adults over 65 hover around 60-70% percent. There is no federal program to provide specific funding to support vaccination of uninsured adults.
Publications and Resources
Adult Immunization Fact Sheet (pdf)
National Immunization Program: Adult Immunization Schedule (external site)
Percent of Adults Over 65 who received Flu Vaccine (pdf)
Percent of Adults Over 65 who received Pneumococcal Vaccine (pdf)
Selected Adult Immunization Activities by State (pdf)