Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Talking to Your Patients About Vaccines

TALKING TO YOUR PATIENTS ABOUT VACCINES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 

It's all over the news and many people are in search of more information.  It is important that if people have questions they get the facts and are not getting the information from an untrustworthy source. It is up to health care providers to provide the facts and evidence to their patients to make sure they are not getting misinformed about the pros and cons of vaccines.   

STATE THE FACTS

 

Health Care Workers aren't the only ones that need to help spread the facts. It is imperative that officials making public statements are getting accurate information from reputable sources before speaking on such subjects. 

AAP released a press release urging public officials to cite credible science when discussing measles stating:

“A measles outbreak has grown to more than 100 people in 14 states. As public officials discuss the outbreak and the immunizations that could have prevented it, the American Academy of Pediatrics urges each of them to research the issue first, using credible, science-based sources of information. It is incumbent on public officials to speak from the facts when shaping public perception and policy. This is crucial when it comes to our children's health and safety.

Getting the measles vaccine is much safer than getting the measles infection… of people who get measles, 1 or 2 in 1,000 will die.”

PROTECT YOURSELF WITH VACCINATIONS


In the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Blog Post "The Fight Against Measles Starts with Vaccination" they stated:

"Measles is still common in other parts of the world and can be brought into the United States anytime by a person who gets infected in another country. In recent years, many measles cases have been brought into the United States from common U.S. travel destinations, such as England, France, Germany, India, and, during 2014, from the Philippines and Vietnam.   Measles spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is so contagious that if one person has it, 9 out of 10 of the people around him or her will also become infected if they are not protected. Pockets of unvaccinated communities are especially at risk for large outbreaks.

While most people in this country are protected against measles through vaccination, the current outbreak highlights the importance of vaccination, as the majority of the adults and children in the outbreak reportedly either did not get vaccinated or did not know whether they had been vaccinated. One thing we are most certain of, the measles vaccine is safe and very effective. Two doses of measles vaccine are 97% effective, and even one dose is 93% effective.

If you are unsure of your vaccination status, talk with your doctor. By making sure everyone is protected against measles, we can help prevent measles from getting a foothold in this country again."




FAQS

 

The CDC put together some FAQs about measles for people searching for more information.  They answer questions like these:

Q: Why have there been more measles cases in the United States in recent years?

A: In 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014, there were more reported measles cases compared with previous years. CDC experts attribute this to:
  • More measles cases than usual in some countries to which Americans often travel (such as England, France, Germany, India, the Philippines and Vietnam), and therefore more measles cases coming into the US, and/or
  • More spreading of measles in U.S. communities with pockets of unvaccinated people.
For details about the increase in cases by year, see Measles Outbreaks.

Q: How effective is the measles vaccine?

A: The measles vaccine is very effective. One dose of measles vaccine is about 93% effective at preventing measles if exposed to the virus and two doses are about 97% effective.

RESOURCES FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND TALKING TO YOUR PATIENTS ABOUT IMMUNIZATIONS:

 

 

HANDOUTS AND INFORMATION TO GIVE TO YOUR PATIENTS:

 

 

HOWEVER, THE MEASLES VACCINATION ISN'T THE ONLY IMPORTANT VACCINE TO KNOW ABOUT AND TO INFORM YOUR PATIENTS ABOUT.


The goal of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Immunization Program is to reduce and eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases among Ohio's children, adolescents and adults.  

The ODH Immunization Program seeks to prevent 17 vaccine-preventable diseases (listed below) with  currently available vaccines:
  • Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTap or Tdap depending on age)
  • Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)                
  • Hepatitis A 
  • Hepatitis B
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV)
  • Influenza                     
  • Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)   
  • Meningococcal  (meningitis) 
  • Pneumococcal  (PCV)   
  • Polio                                        
  • Rotavirus                                 
  • Varicella  (chicken pox)
  • Zoster (shingles- adults only)
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