Question

HSA3113 Discussion

Journal Review on Preventative Medicine/Screening & Vaccines

Answer 1

Ans) Improving the delivery of vaccinations and screenings to older Americans remains an important US public health and policy challenge.

- This goal is one element in a comprehensive set of national strategies to effectively and systematically reduce the impact of disease on a rapidly ageing population.

- Although clinical preventive services are covered by Medicare – and there is a broad consensus among health professions that they are of benefit – no more than half of the adult population aged 65 and older receives the full protection conferred by a core set of services. Successfully tackling this challenge will require more innovation, more translation of promising research into public health practice, better health promotion, and fuller deployment of model programmes that can create ‘prevention zones’ in which clinical and community services are accessible and fully integrated. Such efforts will be particularly important in underserved communities.

- For the US health system to truly protect the health of older Americans and change the projected trajectory of medical costs, expanded delivery of recommended vaccinations and disease screenings must remain a focus for both medicine and public health.