Faith community nurses: protecting our elders through immunizations.

摘要

An estimated 226,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths from influenza-related causes occur in the United States annually; adults ages 65 and older comprise 90% of flu deaths and 65% of hospitalizations. Older adult immunization rates are far from the Healthy People 2020 goal of 90% coverage. This article explores immunization in the elderly and how faith community/parish nurses can improve immunization rates.