Issue Number 477            August 30, 2004

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE

  1. New: August 2004 issue of "VACCINATE WOMEN" is on the IAC website
  2. DHHS releases a draft of its Pandemic Influenza Response Preparedness Plan for public comment
  3. Free: Order two pads of the Vaccine Education Center's influenza-education sheets at no charge
  4. CDC issues REACH 2010 surveillance about the health status of U.S. minority communities in 2001-02
  5. CDC reports high influenza vaccination rates for U.S. Asians ages >=65, but pneumococcal rates low for some Asian groups

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ABBREVIATIONS: AAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians; AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics; ACIP, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; IAC, Immunization Action Coalition; MMWR, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report; NIP, National Immunization Program; VIS, Vaccine Information Statement; VPD, vaccine-preventable disease; WHO, World Health Organization.
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August 30, 2004
NEW: AUGUST 2004 ISSUE OF "VACCINATE WOMEN" IS ON THE IAC WEBSITE

The August 2004 issue of "VACCINATE WOMEN" is now available on the IAC website. Hard copies were recently mailed to all members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). This publication was supported by a cooperative grant by the Division of Viral Hepatitis at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was distributed free of charge by ACOG.

The new issue is filled with reliable, practical information intended to assist obstetricians/gynecologists in providing immunization services in their health care settings.

HOW TO READ "VACCINATE WOMEN" ON THE WEB
You can view selected articles from the table of contents below or download the entire issue from the Web.

To view the table of contents with links to individual articles, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vw

Please note: The PDF file of the entire issue, linked below, is large at 502,491 bytes. For tips on downloading and printing PDF files, go to: http://www.immunize.org/nslt.d/tips.htm

To download a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the entire issue, go to: http://www.immunize.org/vw/vw0804.pdf

TO ACCESS INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES
Following are descriptions of and direct links to each of the main "VACCINATE WOMEN" articles:

"Ask the Experts"
CDC immunization expert William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH, answers general immunization questions. Hepatitis specialists Eric Mast, MD, and Linda A. Moyer, RN, answer hepatitis questions.

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vw/expert4.pdf

Note: No HTML version is available.

"First do no harm. Protect your patients by getting vaccinated against influenza"
In response to the distressing statistic that only 36% of health care workers receive annual influenza vaccination, IAC developed this one-page professional-education sheet. It outlines the primary steps necessary to conduct an employee influenza immunization campaign for health care workers.

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2014.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2014.htm

"Screening questionnaire for adult immunization"
Health professionals can save time by having a patient fill out this one-page questionnaire while waiting, and then using the patient's answers to determine if the patient has any contraindications to vaccination on the day of the visit.

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065scr.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4065scr.htm

"Summary of recommendations for adult immunization"
Updated in July, this two-page professional-education sheet now reflects ACIP's latest recommendations for adult influenza immunization, as well as recommendations for seven other adult vaccines.

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2011b.pdf

To access a web-text (HTML) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2011b.htm

"Standing orders for eight vaccines and anaphylaxis management"
This three-page professional-education sheet has prototype standing orders protocols for administering the eight vaccines most commonly given to adults. Also includes a prototype protocol for managing anaphylactic reactions to adult vaccines.

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version, go to:
http://www.immunize.org/vw/orders.pdf

Note: No HTML version is available.
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August 30, 2004
DHHS RELEASES A DRAFT OF ITS PANDEMIC INFLUENZA RESPONSE PREPAREDNESS PLAN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

On August 26, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a draft of its Pandemic Influenza Response and Preparedness Plan for public comment.

According to DHHS information, an influenza pandemic represents a major threat to health and may cause substantial social and economic disruption. Planning and implementing preparedness activities are critical to improving the effectiveness of a response and decreasing the impacts of a pandemic.

The draft Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan articulates a coordinated DHHS strategy to prepare and respond to an influenza pandemic and provides guidance to national, state, and local policy makers and health departments for public health preparation and response in the event of pandemic influenza outbreak. DHHS will publish this draft document in the Federal Register on August 26, 2004, for a 60-day comment period. Several options are being considered for addressing an influenza pandemic should one occur. Vaccines and antiviral drugs are among these options. DHHS anticipates that the availability of these interventions will be delayed and/or limited. Therefore, decisions will need to be made on how best to use these limited resources. Public comment is being sought on priority groups for vaccines and antivirals in the event of a pandemic.

To access the draft plan, go to:
http://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/pandemicplan

Forward comments on the draft plan by email to pandemicinfluenza@osophs.dhhs.gov or by U.S. mail to
National Vaccine Program Office
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
Department of Health and Human Services
Hubert H. Humphrey Building
200 Independence Ave., SW--Room 725H
Washington, DC 20201-0004
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August 30, 2004
FREE: ORDER TWO PADS OF THE VACCINE EDUCATION CENTER'S INFLUENZA-EDUCATION SHEETS AT NO CHARGE

In July, the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia published a two-page education sheet, "Influenza: What you should know." Intended for patients and providers, the sheet answers the most frequently asked questions about influenza disease and vaccine. Its goal is to clarify recent changes to the ACIP influenza recommendations. English- and Spanish-language versions are available.

Health professionals can order two 50-sheet pads in each language at no charge. Additional pads are available for $3, plus shipping.

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of the sheet, click here.

To order online, go to:
https://www.chop.edu/vaccine/vec/vecprof_order.cfm

Order by email at vaccines@email.chop.edu or by phone at (215) 590-9990.

For additional ordering information, go to:
http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=75982
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August 30, 2004
CDC ISSUES REACH 2010 SURVEILLANCE ABOUT THE HEALTH STATUS OF U.S. MINORITY COMMUNITIES IN 2001-02

CDC published "REACH 2010 Surveillance for Health Status in Minority Communities--United States, 2001-02" in the August 27 issue of MMWR Surveillance Summaries. Reprinted below are portions of the article abstract, as well as the data on influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates among adults ages >=65.

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[From the abstract]

Problem/Condition: . . . . The Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010 Risk Factor Survey is conducted annually in minority communities in the United States. The survey focuses on four minority populations (blacks, Hispanics, Asians/Pacific Islanders [A/PIs], and American Indians).

Reporting Period Covered: 2001-2002.

Results: . . . . Compared with the general U.S. population, a substantially lower percentage of Hispanics and A/PIs had reported receiving preventive services (e.g., . . . vaccination for influenza and pneumonia among adults aged >=65 years) . . . .

[From the Clinical Preventive Services section]

Influenza Vaccination
The median percentage of adults aged >=65 years who reported that they had had an influenza vaccination in the previous year ranged from 53.2% in Hispanic communities to 81.6% in A/PI communities. Compared with the respondents from the comparison states in the 2001 BRFSS [Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System], . . . the majority of black communities had a lower rate of influenza vaccination. The medians among black (54.4%) and Hispanic (53.2%) communities were lower than that among 53 states/territories and the District of Columbia (66.2%). The percentages of adults who had had an influenza vaccination in the previous year in the two American Indian communities were similar to those of the corresponding states. The vaccination rate (range: 77.2%-86.4%) was substantially higher in the A/PI communities.

[Table 21 gives complete data. To access the table, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5306a1.htm#tab21]

Pneumococcal Vaccination
The median percentage of adults aged >=65 years who reported that they had ever had a pneumococcal vaccination ranged from 37.5% in A/PI communities to 67.3% in American Indian communities. The medians among A/PIs (37.5%), Hispanics (46.0%), and blacks (50.5%) were lower than the median from 53 states/territories and the District of Columbia in the 2001 BRFSS (61.3%). The percentage of vaccination among American Indians was similar to that of comparison states.

[Table 22 gives complete data. To access the table, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5306a1.htm#tab22]

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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete surveillance summary, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5306a1.htm

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of it, go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/ss/ss5306.pdf
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August 30, 2004
CDC REPORTS HIGH INFLUENZA VACCINATION RATES FOR U.S. ASIANS AGES >=65, BUT PNEUMOCOCCAL RATES LOW FOR SOME ASIAN GROUPS

CDC published "Health Disparities Experienced by Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations" in the August 27 issue of MMWR. The article announced that beginning with the August 27 issue, MMWR will publish a series underscoring health disparities for certain racial/ethnic populations. Specifically, the populations are African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

When an article in the series is pertinent to the immunization community, "IAC EXPRESS" will report on it. The August 27 issue featured one such article: "Health Status of Cambodians and Vietnamese--Selected Communities, United States, 2001-2002."

Portions of the article are reprinted below; following those portions are data taken from Table 1 of the article, which report on influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates among Cambodian and Vietnamese persons ages >=65 years living in certain U.S. communities. As reported below, the data indicate that the Cambodian and Vietnamese communities surveyed receive influenza vaccination at a higher rate than either the aggregate U.S. Asian population or the general U.S. population. In contrast, the surveyed Cambodian and Vietnamese communities received pneumococcal vaccination at markedly lower rates than either the aggregate Asian population or the general population.

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[From the article text]
National health data often are reported for Asians in the aggregate and do not monitor the health of specific Asian subpopulations (e.g., Cambodians and Vietnamese) in the United States. . . .

For this report, data from Vietnamese communities in Los Angeles, Orange, and Santa Clara counties, California, were combined; Cambodian data were from Lowell, Massachusetts, where 57% of the Asian population is Cambodian. . . .

[From Table 1]
The vaccination rate for Cambodians ages >=65 who reported receiving influenza vaccination in the previous year was 77.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64.4-86.4); it was 82.5% (95% CI, 77.3-86.8) among Vietnamese respondents. In comparison, the rate was 75.2% (95% CI, 62.5-84.7) among Asians in the aggregate and 66.4% (95% CI, 65.6-67.2) among the general population.

The vaccination rate for those age >=65 who reported ever receiving pneumococcal vaccination was 18.8% (CI, 8.1-37.8) among Cambodian respondents and 40.0% (95% CI, 33.6-46.7) among Vietnamese respondents. In comparison, the rate was 63.4% (95% CI, 49.8-75.2) among Asians in the aggregate and 61.8% (95% CI, 61.0-62.6) among the general population.

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To access a web-text (HTML) version of the complete article, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5333a3.htm

To access a ready-to-copy (PDF) version of this issue of MMWR, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5333.pdf

To receive a FREE electronic subscription to MMWR (which includes new ACIP statements), go to:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrsubscribe.html

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Editorial Information

  • Editor-in-Chief
    Kelly L. Moore, MD, MPH
  • Managing Editor
    John D. Grabenstein, RPh, PhD
  • Associate Editor
    Sharon G. Humiston, MD, MPH
  • Writer/Publication Coordinator
    Taryn Chapman, MS
    Courtnay Londo, MA
  • Style and Copy Editor
    Marian Deegan, JD
  • Web Edition Managers
    Arkady Shakhnovich
    Jermaine Royes
  • Contributing Writer
    Laurel H. Wood, MPA
  • Technical Reviewer
    Kayla Ohlde

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