Flu Vaccination: Patients
May Need Encouragement

The 2003-04 influenza season is just around the corner, and this year physicians may experience increased requests from patients for guidance in deciding whether or not to get a flu shot. The sheer abundance of information on health issues, as well as conflicting recommendations reported in the media, may leave some patients confused about the need for vaccination.

For patients who should be vaccinated but need encouragement to get the shot, it might be helpful to cite statistics about the illness: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu results in an average of 110,000 hospitalizations and 20,000 deaths annually.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has listed the following groups as being at the highest risk for developing complications from influenza and recommends they receive the flu vaccine:

• Adults age 50 and older
• Adults and children (6 months and older) with chronic conditions and/or immunosuppression
• Pregnant women in their second or third trimester
• Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities
• Persons who can transmit the flu to those at high risk
• Young and otherwise healthy children, ages 6 to 23 months (this group has one of the highest rates of flu-associated hospitalizations)

Although the best time for individuals to receive the flu shot is in the fall, the CDC recommends that vaccination continue throughout the winter months, as flu activity often peaks in late December through early March. As a reminder, many people considered at high risk for flu complications are also at high risk for pneumococcal diseases — and should also receive the pneumovax. It may be especially important to vaccinate high-risk groups against flu and pneumonia this year, given concerns about the potential spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). In addition, many people do not understand the need for these important vaccines, and many may not get them unless recommended by their physicians.

For more information, visit the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov. Humana-insured patients can be directed to MyHumana at www.humana.com. Once they have registered and logged into MyHumana, they can access information about interactive tools regarding the flu and pneumonia through the “Flu and Pneumonia Condition Center.” There are 13 other condition centers that address topics such as asthma to women’s health to assist members with managing their own health care needs.

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