Adult immunizations: recommendations for practice

Each year in the United States, 50,000 to 90,000 adults die of pneumococcal disease, influenza, and hepatitis infections. These figures vastly exceed mortality due to vaccine-preventable diseases in children. In addition, adult immunizations are cost-effective and lifesaving measures. Nonetheless, surveys reveal that both physicians and patients underuse adult immunizations as an effective means of disease prevention. The goal of achieving higher adult immunization rates is critically dependent on improving the attitudes and practices of health-care providers. In this article, we review several vaccines routinely used in the practice of adult medicine.