Issue
Number 477
August 30, 2004
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE
- New: August 2004 issue of "VACCINATE WOMEN" is on the
IAC website
- DHHS releases a draft of its Pandemic Influenza Response
Preparedness Plan for public comment
- Free: Order two pads of the Vaccine Education Center's
influenza-education sheets at no charge
- CDC issues REACH 2010 surveillance about the health
status of U.S. minority communities in 2001-02
- CDC reports high influenza vaccination rates for U.S.
Asians ages >=65, but pneumococcal rates low for some Asian groups
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ABBREVIATIONS: AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians; AAP, American
Academy of Pediatrics; ACIP, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices;
CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug
Administration; IAC, Immunization Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report; NIP, National Immunization Program; VIS, Vaccine
Information Statement; VPD, vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health
Organization.
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August 30, 2004
NEW: AUGUST 2004 ISSUE OF "VACCINATE WOMEN" IS ON THE IAC WEBSITE
The August 2004 issue of "VACCINATE WOMEN" is now available on the IAC
website. Hard copies were recently mailed to all members of the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). This publication was
supported by a cooperative grant by the Division of Viral Hepatitis at the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was distributed free of
charge by ACOG.
The new issue is filled with reliable, practical information intended to
assist obstetricians/gynecologists in providing immunization services in
their health care settings.
HOW TO READ "VACCINATE WOMEN" ON THE WEB
You can view selected articles from the table of contents below or download
the entire issue from the Web.
To view the table of contents with links to individual articles, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vw
Please note: The PDF file of the entire issue, linked below, is large at
502,491 bytes. For tips on downloading and printing PDF files, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/tips.htm
To download a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the entire issue, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vw/vw0804.pdf
TO ACCESS INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES
Following are descriptions of and direct links to each of the main
"VACCINATE WOMEN" articles:
"Ask the Experts"
CDC immunization expert William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH, answers general
immunization questions. Hepatitis specialists Eric Mast, MD, and Linda A.
Moyer, RN, answer hepatitis questions.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vw/expert4.pdf
Note: No HTML version is available.
"First do no harm. Protect your patients by getting vaccinated against
influenza"
In response to the distressing statistic that only 36% of health care
workers receive annual influenza vaccination, IAC developed this one-page
professional-education sheet. It outlines the primary steps necessary to
conduct an employee influenza immunization campaign for health care workers.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2014.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2014.htm
"Screening questionnaire for adult immunization"
Health professionals can save time by having a patient fill out this
one-page questionnaire while waiting, and then using the patient's answers
to determine if the patient has any contraindications to vaccination on the
day of the visit.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065scr.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065scr.htm
"Summary of recommendations for adult immunization"
Updated in July, this two-page professional-education sheet now reflects
ACIP's latest recommendations for adult influenza immunization, as well as
recommendations for seven other adult vaccines.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2011b.pdf
To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2011b.htm
"Standing orders for eight vaccines and anaphylaxis management"
This three-page professional-education sheet has prototype standing orders
protocols for administering the eight vaccines most commonly given to
adults. Also includes a prototype protocol for managing anaphylactic
reactions to adult vaccines.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vw/orders.pdf
Note: No HTML version is available.
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August 30, 2004
DHHS RELEASES A DRAFT OF ITS PANDEMIC INFLUENZA RESPONSE PREPAREDNESS PLAN
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
On August 26, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a
draft of its Pandemic Influenza Response and Preparedness Plan for public
comment.
According to DHHS information, an influenza pandemic represents a major
threat to health and may cause substantial social and economic disruption.
Planning and implementing preparedness activities are critical to improving
the effectiveness of a response and decreasing the impacts of a pandemic.
The draft Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan articulates a
coordinated DHHS strategy to prepare and respond to an influenza pandemic
and provides guidance to national, state, and local policy makers and health
departments for public health preparation and response in the event of
pandemic influenza outbreak. DHHS will publish this draft document in the
Federal Register on August 26, 2004, for a 60-day comment period. Several
options are being considered for addressing an influenza pandemic should one
occur. Vaccines and antiviral drugs are among these options. DHHS
anticipates that the availability of these interventions will be delayed
and/or limited. Therefore, decisions will need to be made on how best to use
these limited resources. Public comment is being sought on priority groups
for vaccines and antivirals in the event of a pandemic.
To access the draft plan, go to:
http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/pandemicplan
Forward comments on the draft plan by email to
pandemicinfluenza@osophs.dhhs.gov or by U.S. mail to
National Vaccine Program Office
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
Department of Health and Human Services
Hubert H. Humphrey Building
200 Independence Ave., SW--Room 725H
Washington, DC 20201-0004
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August 30, 2004
FREE: ORDER TWO PADS OF THE VACCINE EDUCATION CENTER'S INFLUENZA-EDUCATION
SHEETS AT NO CHARGE
In July, the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia published a two-page education sheet, "Influenza: What you
should know." Intended for patients and providers, the sheet answers the
most frequently asked questions about influenza disease and vaccine. Its
goal is to clarify recent changes to the ACIP influenza recommendations.
English- and Spanish-language versions are available.
Health professionals can order two 50-sheet pads in each language at no
charge. Additional pads are available for $3, plus shipping.
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the sheet, click
here.
To order online, go to:
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine/vec/vecprof_order.cfm
Order by email at
vaccines@email.chop.edu or by phone at (215) 590-9990.
For additional ordering information, go to:
http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=75982
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August 30, 2004
CDC ISSUES REACH 2010 SURVEILLANCE ABOUT THE HEALTH STATUS OF U.S. MINORITY
COMMUNITIES IN 2001-02
CDC published "REACH 2010 Surveillance for Health Status in Minority
Communities--United States, 2001-02" in the August 27 issue of MMWR
Surveillance Summaries. Reprinted below are portions of the article
abstract, as well as the data on influenza and pneumococcal vaccination
rates among adults ages >=65.
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[From the abstract]
Problem/Condition: . . . . The Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community
Health (REACH) 2010 Risk Factor Survey is conducted annually in minority
communities in the United States. The survey focuses on four minority
populations (blacks, Hispanics, Asians/Pacific Islanders [A/PIs], and
American Indians).
Reporting Period Covered: 2001-2002.
Results: . . . . Compared with the general U.S. population, a substantially
lower percentage of Hispanics and A/PIs had reported receiving preventive
services (e.g., . . . vaccination for influenza and pneumonia among adults
aged >=65 years)
. . . .
[From the Clinical Preventive Services section]
Influenza Vaccination
The median percentage of adults aged >=65 years who reported that they had
had an influenza vaccination in the previous year ranged from 53.2% in
Hispanic communities to 81.6% in A/PI communities. Compared with the
respondents from the comparison states in the 2001 BRFSS [Behavioral Risk
Factor Surveillance System], . . . the majority of black communities had a
lower rate of influenza vaccination. The medians among black (54.4%) and
Hispanic (53.2%) communities were lower than that among 53
states/territories and the District of Columbia (66.2%). The percentages of
adults who had had an influenza vaccination in the previous year in the two
American Indian communities were similar to those of the corresponding
states. The vaccination rate (range: 77.2%-86.4%) was substantially higher
in the A/PI communities.
[Table 21 gives complete data. To access the table, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5306a1.htm#tab21]
Pneumococcal Vaccination
The median percentage of adults aged >=65 years who reported that they had
ever had a pneumococcal vaccination ranged from 37.5% in A/PI communities to
67.3% in American Indian communities. The medians among A/PIs (37.5%),
Hispanics (46.0%), and blacks (50.5%) were lower than the median from 53
states/territories and the District of Columbia in the 2001 BRFSS (61.3%).
The percentage of vaccination among American Indians was similar to that of
comparison states.
[Table 22 gives complete data. To access the table, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5306a1.htm#tab22]
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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete surveillance summary, go
to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5306a1.htm
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/ss/ss5306.pdf
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August 30, 2004
CDC REPORTS HIGH INFLUENZA VACCINATION RATES FOR U.S. ASIANS AGES >=65, BUT
PNEUMOCOCCAL RATES LOW FOR SOME ASIAN GROUPS
CDC published "Health Disparities Experienced by Racial/Ethnic Minority
Populations" in the August 27 issue of MMWR. The article announced that
beginning with the August 27 issue, MMWR will publish a series underscoring
health disparities for certain racial/ethnic populations. Specifically, the
populations are African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians/Alaska
Natives, Asians, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.
When an article in the series is pertinent to the immunization community, "IAC
EXPRESS" will report on it. The August 27 issue featured one such article:
"Health Status of Cambodians and Vietnamese--Selected Communities, United
States, 2001-2002."
Portions of the article are reprinted below; following those portions are
data taken from Table 1 of the article, which report on influenza and
pneumococcal vaccination rates among Cambodian and Vietnamese persons ages
>=65 years living in certain U.S. communities. As reported below, the data
indicate that the Cambodian and Vietnamese communities surveyed receive
influenza vaccination at a higher rate than either the aggregate U.S. Asian
population or the general U.S. population. In contrast, the surveyed
Cambodian and Vietnamese communities received pneumococcal vaccination at
markedly lower rates than either the aggregate Asian population or the
general population.
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[From the article text]
National health data often are reported for Asians in the aggregate and do
not monitor the health of specific Asian subpopulations (e.g., Cambodians
and Vietnamese) in the United States. . . .
For this report, data from Vietnamese communities in Los Angeles, Orange,
and Santa Clara counties, California, were combined; Cambodian data were
from Lowell, Massachusetts, where 57% of the Asian population is Cambodian.
. . .
[From Table 1]
The vaccination rate for Cambodians ages >=65 who reported receiving
influenza vaccination in the previous year was 77.2% (95% confidence
interval [CI], 64.4-86.4); it was 82.5% (95% CI, 77.3-86.8) among Vietnamese
respondents. In comparison, the rate was 75.2% (95% CI, 62.5-84.7) among
Asians in the aggregate and 66.4% (95% CI, 65.6-67.2) among the general
population.
The vaccination rate for those age >=65 who reported ever receiving
pneumococcal vaccination was 18.8% (CI, 8.1-37.8) among Cambodian
respondents and 40.0% (95% CI, 33.6-46.7) among Vietnamese respondents. In
comparison, the rate was 63.4% (95% CI, 49.8-75.2) among Asians in the
aggregate and 61.8% (95% CI, 61.0-62.6) among the general population.
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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5333a3.htm
To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5333.pdf
To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which includes new ACIP
statements), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html |
