Most Adults Aren’t Immunized Against Serious Infectious Diseases

When is the last time you got vaccinated? If you’re like most Americans it’s been years, maybe even decades. In fact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that far too few American adults are being vaccinated against serious, even deadly diseases.

“There’s always been an emphasis in pediatrics on prevention, and immunizations are a big part of that, but adult medicine has not caught up,” says William Sutker, MD, infectious disease specialist on the medical staff at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas.

A study by the CDC found that less than 5 percent of American adults are up-to-date on all of their immunizations.

“I think people don’t realize the number of deaths that occur because of infectious diseases every year,” says Sutker.

So what should you be vaccinated against? All adults over 50, or those with diabetes or heart disease should receive flu and pneumonia vaccines, but it is estimated that just over half actually do.

“I think the flu and pneumonia vaccine are grossly underutilized,” adds Sutker.