Adult vaccines you need to stay healthy and alive

Immunizations are not just for kids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, immunizations rank among the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century; however, adult immunizations have not reached the level of success of childhood immunizations. This fact—according to Consumer Reports on Health—results in approximately 50,000 men and women in the U.S. dying from vaccine-preventable diseases each year. In an earlier study published in The American Journal of Medicine, research shows that the primary reasons why many adults do not get vaccinated when older include: Lack of physician recommendations; Mistaken assumptions that healthy people do not need vaccinations; Fear of needles; Lack of insurance coverage; Lack of an effective reminder system to alert patients who need a vaccination. The following is a summary of a special report titled “Adult vaccines: Are you up to date?” by the editors of Consumer Reports on Health about what adult vaccines you need today to stay...