Benefits of Influenza Vaccination for Low-, Intermediate-, and High-Risk Senior Citizens

Abstract

INFLUENZA IS a major cause of illness, suffering, and death in the United States and worldwide. Each year 10% to 20% of the US population becomes ill.¹ Individuals aged 65 years or older are particularly susceptible to the complications of influenza, experiencing more than 90% of these complications that may include not only pneumonia but also exacerbations of underlying medical conditions such as chronic heart and lung disease^2-4 and even death. In the United States, this burden includes hundreds of thousands of excess hospitalizations,^1,5 tens of thousands of excess deaths,^3,4,6 and billions of dollars in health care costs.⁷