Immunization Task Force members in collaboration with CHIP staff, will be committed to increasing immunizations through guidance of the Institute of Medicine's Community Health Improvement Process. This includes analyzing health issues, creating an inventory of existing resources, development of a health improvement strategy, identification of accountabilities for strategies and implementation for interventions. The overall goal of the task force is to increase the proportion of noninstitutionalized adults age 65 and older who are vaccinated annually against influenza and ever vaccinated against pneumococcal disease.

• Healthy People 2010 influenza target = 90%
• Douglas County adults age 65 and over = 65%
• Healthy People 2010 pneumococcal target = 90%
• Douglas County adults age 65 and over = 48%

Why is increasing adult immunizations important?

Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department staff and community volunteers participate in annual clinics to provide flu vaccine to the community.  Here, staff is waiting for “Next!”

• Pneumonia and flu deaths together constitute the sixth leading cause of death in the Douglas County. Nationally, influenza causes an average of 110,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths annually. Pneumococcal disease causes 10,000 deaths annually.
• Most deaths and serious illnesses caused by influenza and pneumococcal disease occur in adults age 65 and older or persons with a chronic health condition.
• Recommended immunizations for adults age 65 and older include a yearly immunization against influenza and a one-time immunization against pneumococcal disease.