14 Nov Many Children With Asthma Still Not Receiving Flu Vaccine
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Deepa Patadia
Deepa Patadia, MD
Wexner Medical Center
The Ohio State University
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Influenza vaccination is recommended every autumn for all children 6 months of age and older. It is particularly important for children with asthma, who are at high risk of hospitalization or severe illness if they contract influenza infection. The rates of influenza vaccination in children with asthma have not previously been well studied, but Healthy People 2020 has set a target goal to vaccinate 70% of all children for influenza. We found that rates of vaccination in our large primary care population was much lower than the target rate, with less than 50% of all children receiving the vaccine each year over a 5 year period; however rates were higher in children with asthma, albeit still only at 55%.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Readers should take away the important fact that many children are still not receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine each year, which places them at risk for severe illness. This is especially important for children with asthma, who should be vaccinated every autumn.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Our research was a first step to understand the scope of the problem and now we can try to identify measures to target specific at-risk populations and design interventions to increase awareness and ultimately vaccination rates.
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Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.
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Last Updated on November 14, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD