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Article: Increasing pneumococcal vaccination rates among patients of a national health-care alliance - United States, 1993.
- Article from:
- MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
- Article date:
- October 13, 1995
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1995 U.S. Government Printing Office. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia worldwide and a leading cause of sepsis and meningitis (1). In the United States, an estimated 40,000 persons die each year from pneumococcal infections (2). Since 1983, 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines have been licensed in the United States (2) and are 560%-57% effective in preventing invasive pneumococcal disease (3). However, the 1993 National Health Interview Survey documented that [less than or equal to] 28% of. persons in high-risk categories, including all persons aged [less than or equal to] 65 years, reported"over having received the vaccine (4). During 1993-1994, VHA Inc. ...