As adults we always guide our children. There is also one saying that we teach them. “Prevention is better than cure.” But when it comes to practicing ourselves we seldom follow it. The finding of a survey conducted by Ipsos MORI and sponsored by GSK just proves this. Three-fourths of adult Mumbaikars believe vaccines are meant only for children. In a year when swine flu emerged as one of the biggest reasons for hospitalization, 30% of those surveyed said adults should take vaccines only before travelling.
Findings from the Vaccinate for Life survey of over 6,002 adults across Brazil, India, United States, Germany and Italy found that:
- 15 percent of adults believe that vaccinations are only recommended for children and/or babies with 21 percent thinking they are only needed for travel purposes.
- Just over 3 in 10 adults report not having had any of the vaccines potentially relevant to them within the past five years
- 60 percent of adults say they have not received information provided by the government on the importance of adult vaccinations.*
Prioritisation of other health services: 53 percent of adults surveyed agree that although achieving a healthy lifestyle is important, they are more likely to prioritise other health services over vaccination.
* This question was not asked in Brazil
The World Health Organization (WHO) has often cited immunisation as one of the most powerful and cost-effective interventions in public health, but the GSK survey found that 68% adults in the five countries were not aware of vaccines recommended for them.
The following chart showing various recommendatory vaccinations available for different age categories is self-explanatory:
Why vaccination:
Vaccination can help those closest to us through “herd immunity”. Once enough people in a community have been vaccinated against a contagious disease (usually about 90%), we help protect those who haven’t been or can’t be vaccinated because the opportunity for the disease to spread is so much lower.
And it’s not just our health that suffers when we don’t vaccinate. There are also financial costs, from health care expenses and hospital stays to loss of productivity from days off work.
If you can’t remember the last time you were vaccinated, don’t hesitate to talk to your healthcare provider about which vaccines you may need
NPowersU Expert Opinion
Health cost all around the world is rising phenomenally. India is also not lagging behind in this arena. Even for a simple fever, a doctor, to avoid any future litigations by the patient and / its immediate family members, advises to get various reports done before any further action is taken. It is in the interest of public that under the guidance of medical practioner one should consider vaccination as a good and cost effective alternative to surgeries etc.
On a smiling note – ‘A Healthy Life with a Wealthy Wife makes a Husband satiate in One Life.’
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