The reduction in the incidence of vaccine-preventable disease is one of the most significant public health achievements of the past 100 years. The major factor in this success is the development and widespread use of vaccines, which are among the safest and most effective preventive measures. Billions of dollars are saved each year through the use of vaccines.
Older adults are at increased risk for many vaccine-preventable diseases.
Approximately 90 percent of all influenza-associated deaths in the United States occur in people aged 65 and older, the fastest growing age group of the population. Reduction of deaths in this age group has been hindered in part by relatively low vaccine utilization. Immunization os one of the most cost-effective strategies to prevent needless morbidity and mortality. Each year, however, an estimated 45,000 adults die of infections related to influenza, pneumococcal infections, and hepatitis B despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines to prevent these conditions and their complications. There is a disproportionate burden of these diseases in ethnic populations.