How Immune Are You?

Currently, the leading causes of death for women in the US are:

1. Heart Disease, 29.9%
2. Cancer, 21.8%
3. Stroke, 8.4%
4. Chronic lower respiratory diseases, 5.1%
5. Diabetes, 3.1%
6. Influenza and pneumonia, 3.0%
7. Alzheimer’s disease, 2.9%
8. Unintentional injuries, 2.8%
9. Kidney disease, 1.6%
10. Septicemia, 1.4%

ADULT IMMUNIZATION

Each year, an estimated 30,000-50,000 adults die from vaccine-preventable diseases.

The US childhood immunization program has greatly reduced deaths and complications from vaccine-preventable disease among children, but adults continue to die from vaccine-preventable diseases such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, and pneumococcal infections.

In February 2002, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) approved for the first time a schedule for the routine vaccination of persons aged >19 years.

Here is the Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule, US, 2002-2003. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ recs/adult-schedule.pdf .

Tetanus, Diphtheria
Influenza
Pneumococcal Disease
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis A
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Varicella
Meningococcal Disease

Consult your personal physician and make sure you’re up-to-date on your immunizations.