The Effectiveness of Flu Shots

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Sporadic reports have suggested that a flu shot largely doesn’t prevent flu or its complications in seniors. Now an important study has evaluated the effectiveness of flu shots in people over 65 in the long-term. It’s published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Data covering 10 flu seasons, obtained from US Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), showed that flu-vaccinated adults aged 65 and older were 27% less likely to be hospitalized for pneumonia or influenza during the flu season, and 48% less likely to die from any cause, compared with unvaccinated adults.

A recent criticism of estimates of benefits of flu shots was that less-frail persons are more likely to get shots, i.e. the frail folk (more likely to die) were stacking the non-vaccinated ‘controls’. The researchers made addition analyses, correcting for possible ‘selection bias’ in their comparison between the two groups. Thy found that the benefits of a flu shot were still significant – a 7% decrease in hospitalization and 33% in all-cause mortality after these adjustments. However, they also admit that their results may not apply to people not enrolled in HMOs.

These results should reinforce your determination to get a flu shot this year. The season approaches, and there’s plenty of vaccine!