Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

------------------------------------------------------------

June 5, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"State Trends in Health Risk Factors and Receipt of Clinical Preventive Services Among U.S. Adults During the 1990s" Journal of the American Medical Association Online (www.jama.com)

(05/29/02) Vol. 287, No. 20,; Nelson, David E.; Bland, Shayne; Powell-Griner, Eve

National health goals are helpful for driving an overall improvement in health care, but many significant improvements are made at the state and local levels and are overlooked in national figures.  As part of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, researchers conducted telephone surveys of between 1,188 and 7,543 people per year in each of 49 states to determine state-specific trends in five health risk factors and six clinical preventive services.  In particular, the survey included questions about vaccinations for influenza and pneumococcal disease.  As the survey was conducted for those aged 18 years or older, the group that would benefit the most from vaccinations is the elderly.  Among those aged 65 years and older, influenza vaccination rates improved in 44 of 49 states, while rates of ever receiving a pneumococcal vaccine rose in 48 of 49 states. The data also suggests that education and practice are improving in the prevention of communicable diseases.

Vaccination News Home Page

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.