Strategies for Improving Adult Vaccine Uptake


BDO hosted a panel of medical experts to discuss the critical role of vaccinations in adult health, emphasizing that vaccines are not just for children. Reed Tuckson, MD, former commissioner of public health for Washington, DC, moderated the discussion on “A New Year, Healthier You: The Power of Adult Immunizations,” sponsored by BIO.

The experts stressed that many adults are unaware of the vaccines recommended for them. As Candice Robinson, MD, MPH, Medical Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explained, “CDC recommends that adults stay up to date on routine vaccines like flu, COVID, and Tdap. And there may be other recommendations for adults based on their age or health conditions or lifestyles.”

The most important vaccines for adults

Allison Hill, PharmD, Director of Practice Implementation & Professional Affairs at the American Pharmacists Association, outlined some of the most important vaccines for adults:

“According to the CDC, all adults annually should get their annual flu shot. They should get their COVID-19 vaccine according to the most recent CDC recommendations unless they have had a serious reaction to a previous vaccine. Adults also need a Tdap vaccine every 10 years.”

She also mentioned that adults may need hepatitis B, HPV, meningococcal, RSV, and shingles vaccines depending on their age and health status.

Important vaccine subgroups

The panel emphasized that certain groups need to be especially vigilant about vaccinations. Kelvin McKoy, MD, MBA, Senior Regional Medical Director for Dynavax Technologies Corporation, identified three key subgroups:

“Subgroup number 1 equals older adults, in particular senior citizens. And then subgroup number 2, I think about adults with chronic medical conditions. And then subgroup number 3, I think about adults who need to get caught up on vaccines that they should have received as a child or adolescent.”

Vaccines for healthy aging

Kristen Feemster, MD, MPH, Associate Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, explained how vaccines help prevent serious health complications and support healthy aging:

“If we can prevent a pneumococcal infection or influenza or COVID, we can prevent potentially an episode of pneumonia and prevent hospitalization. We really have an opportunity to support healthy aging.”

The experts addressed the importance of vaccines in reducing health disparities, particularly for communities of color. Dr. Robinson noted:

“Suboptimal vaccination coverage amongst adults can be further compounded by these long-standing racial and ethnic disparities in vaccine uptake, reflecting disparities and leading to a disproportionate burden of vaccine-preventable diseases amongst several racial and ethnic groups.”

Closing the vaccination gap

Dr. Tuckson emphasized the historic significance of closing the vaccination gap during the COVID-19 pandemic:

“What most people don’t realize, as a result of having closed that gap and doing all the other things that were recommended to be done, Black life expectancy in the 2nd year of the pandemic was better than white America. Because we fought hard for our own lives.”

The panel discussed ways to improve access to vaccines, including utilizing pharmacies. Dr. Hill noted:

Ninety percent of Americans actually live within 5 miles of a pharmacy. So more than likely, everyone who’s listening to this, you’re very close to a community pharmacy that actually does immunizations.”

She recommended resources like vaccines.gov and vaccineconfident.pharmacist.com to find nearby vaccination locations.

The experts addressed concerns about vaccine safety, with Dr. Tuckson noting:

“There are African American physicians and scientists who are on the review panels for the FDA and on the review panels for the CDC. These are our credible experts who care deeply about the health of people of color and all Americans in this country.”

Key takeaways from the panel included:

1. The importance of healthcare provider recommendations. As Dr. McKoy stated, “An HCP recommendation is still the strongest predictor of whether a patient gets vaccinated.”

2. The need to overcome vaccine fatigue. Dr. McKoy emphasized, “Vaccine-preventable diseases, they don’t take a break, so we can’t afford to take a break either.”

3. Viewing vaccines as part of overall health maintenance. Dr. Feemster noted, “Vaccines really are such a powerful tool to protect the health of our communities.”

4. The role of vaccines in healthy aging. Dr. Feemster added, “It is really about maintaining the health that we are experiencing today.”

5. The importance of asking questions and seeking credible information. As Dr. Hill advised, “Don’t forget to go ahead, ask questions from your health care professionals, whether it’s your pharmacist, your physician, your nurse practitioner.”

Dr. Tuckson concluded by emphasizing the importance of vaccinations not just for adults, but for children as well:

“Let’s make sure that we are taking the time to take care of ourselves so we can take care of our kids, and then let’s get our kids vaccinated as well. We’re all in this together. This is a health journey.”

Adult vaccinations are a crucial component of preventive healthcare and healthy aging. By staying informed and up-to-date on recommended vaccines, adults can protect their own health and contribute to the overall health of their communities.

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