Vaccination Recommendations Not Followed By People with Diabetes

This is alarming. I have seen recommendations promoted before and blogged about it here. National guidelines for hepatitis B, influenza, and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines, according to a study published in Clinical Diabetes are not being followed by people with diabetes.

The latest in Endocrinology Advisor says that patients with diabetes, considered to be at increased risk for infection and infectious complications are not being vaccinated. This is serious and people with diabetes, any type, need to get current with their vaccinations. I will need to get mine in the coming three years and one will come due in each of the coming years. In addition, I will also be receiving two or three additional shots that are due.

23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines is one that many people just don't get and I don't know why. The CDC has several pages about this and I suggest that you read them and follow other links as well.

The researchers identified extensive nonadherence to immunization recommendations for all three vaccines among patients considered to be at increased risk for infection and infectious disease complications because of their history of diabetes. For the hepatitis B vaccination, nonadherence to the 2011 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' recommendation was pervasive.

Allocation of health care resources to increase vaccine coverage should remain a priority, with a focus on spreading awareness of the hepatitis B vaccine recommendation for people with diabetes. This should be a no-brainer, but for some reason, people with diabetes elect to avoid this vaccination.

I finally arrived at a compromise with my VA doctor. She has been pushing very hard to have me get the flu shot. I complain that the mercury is hard on my system and if they would get the vaccine without the mercury, I would take it. Two winters ago, they had one, but before my appointment, they had an individual that was allergic to mercury and needed the flu shot, so I did have the regular shot. The same happened last fall and I said I would pass and in the future, they needed to order two. So, I will see what happens this fall. I am fortunate to have never had the flu, but the odds are mounting against me.