| Influenza and
pneumococcal infections are common causes
of illness and death in persons >65
years of age, especially in those with
underlying medical conditions.
An average 114,000 people are hospitalized
for influenza-related complications each
year, 43 percent of whom are elderly.
Moreover, during the 1990-1999 influenza
seasons, an average 36,000 Americans died
from flu-related complications each year,
an estimated 90 percent of whom were elderly. |
| Influenza
vaccines can prevent up to 60 percent of
hospitalizations and 80 percent of deaths
from influenza-related complications among
the elderly. Complications of the flu include
bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening
of chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes,
and congestive heart failure.
The annual direct medical costs of influenza
are estimated at up to $4.6 billion. Total
direct and indirect costs (such as lost
work or school days) of a severe flu epidemic
are at least $12 billion. Influenza vaccine
is cost effective. Cost of treatment for
influenza-like illnesses including office
visits, tests, procedures and medications
was estimated to be $145 per case. But
the cost of delivering the influenza vaccine
was estimated to be just $16.70 per person
vaccinated, including direct and indirect
medical costs as well as costs associated
with potential side effects.
Pneumococcal illness and its complications
is generally less understood and appreciated
by the public. Pneumococcus (S. pneumoniae)
causes 40,000 deaths and 500,000 cases
of pneumonia annually in the United States.
Annually, there are twice as many cases
of pneumococcal pneumonia in African Americans
than in whites. The disease is also responsible
for 3,000 cases of meningitis, 50,000
cases of bacteremia, and 7 million cases
of otitis media in the United States.
Pneumococcal pneumonia mainly causes illness
in children younger than 2 years old and
adults _>65 years of age. The elderly
are especially at risk of serious illness
and death from this disease. In addition,
people with certain medical conditions
such as chronic heart, lung, or liver
diseases or sickle cell anemia are also
at increased risk for getting pneumococcal
pneumonia. People with HIV infection,
AIDS, or people who have had organ transplants
and are taking medicines that lower their
resistance to infection are also at high
risk of contracting this disease. See:
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/pneumonia.htm
For the Clinical Practice Guideline related
to this measure see:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/home-hcp.htm
For information about the measure see:
Influenza: http://www.qualitymeasures.ahrq.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=469&string=immunization
Pneumococcal: http://www.qualitymeasures.ahrq.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=470&string=immunization
This measure involves, comprehensive,
geriatric care including patient/consumer
health education, professional education,
outreach, reminder and recall systems,
use of standing orders.
The measure is in HEDIS, HDC and HP2010.
Note that the HEDIS measure is for Influenza
vaccine only and not Pneumoccocal, and
hence not equivalent; see: http://www.ncqa.org/Docs/SOHCQ_2005.pdf
(p. 42)
This measure is also in the Health Disparities
Collaborative, Prevention Pilot, as separate
measures for pneumococcal (#5c) and influenza
(#11), with target goals of >90% http://healthdisparities.net/hdc/html/collaboratives.topics.prevention.asp |
