Adult immunization disparities: a challenge for the public health/primary care partnership.
Vaccine preventable pneumonias account for 5% of all the years of potential life lost (YPLL) attributable to racial and ethnic health disparities. Eliminating disparities in influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates could eliminate many of these pneumonia deaths and hospitalizations among at-risk individuals. This represents one of the most focused and achievable targets within the broader agenda of eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities, which is one of two major health goals for the nation outlined in Healthy People 2010. A broad, three-dimensional conceptual framework guiding a strong public health/primary care partnership will be required to achieve this goal.
Satcher
David
D
National Center for Primary Care, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, SW, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA. ncpc@msm.edu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration; D040361:Healthy People Programs; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States