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The Role of Family Physicians in Immunization
Arch Fam Med. 1994;3(3):225-227.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings. |
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Underimmunization is a major, ongoing health problem in the United States. Many individuals are inadequately immunized, as seen by 1991 immunization rates of only 10%, 27%, 38%, and 38% for 2-year-old children in Houston, Tex, Miami, Fla, Washington, DC, and Oakland, Calif, respectively.1 The underimmunization problem affects adults as well as children, as seen by influenza immunization rates of only 30% for individuals 65 years of age and older.2 The results of underimmunization are epidemics of preventable diseases; for instance, the United States experienced a major measles epidemic from 1989 through 1991 involving 55 622 cases.3 In 1990, there were 89 deaths4 from measles and almost half (44%) of the measles cases reported that year occurred in unimmunized children who were old enough for immunization.4 Although reports of measles cases are now at an alltime low5 due to aggressive measles immunization efforts, immunization
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
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