health
Not enough U.S. adults get vaccinated, CDC says
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Feb. 11, 2013
Despite modest gains in adult coverage for some vaccines, the overall number of adults receiving recommended immunizations remains far too low, said a study published Jan. 29 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study did not include data on seasonal influenza vaccine rates.
Researchers assessed data from the CDC’s 2011 National Health Interview Survey on six vaccines: hepatitis A; hepatitis B; human papillomavirus; pneumococcal; herpes zoster; and tetanus antigen-containing vaccines, including the tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis immunization (Tdap).
The most significant improvements were seen in coverage for Tdap and the HPV vaccine among females. In 2011, 29.5% of women age 19 to 26 received at least one dose of HPV vaccine compared with 20.7% of women in 2010.
In 2011, 12.5% of adults 19 to 64 received the Tdap vaccine. That marked a 4.3% increase from 2010, the study said (link).
Coverage for other recommended vaccines in 2011 remained low. For example, pneumococcal vaccination coverage among high-risk adults 19 to 64 was 20.1%. Receipt of at least two doses of hepatitis A vaccine was reported in 12.5% of adults 19 to 49.
