Survey Shows Fewer Hispanic Seniors Getting Flu Shots

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) — Hispanic seniors in the United States are less likely than their white counterparts to be vaccinated against flu and pneumonia, a new study has found.

Researchers from the nonprofit RAND Corp. analyzed data from more than 244,000 seniors who took part in a 2008 Medicare survey and found that lifetime immunization rates for pneumonia were 74 percent for whites, 56 percent for English-speaking Hispanics and 40 percent for Spanish-speaking Hispanics.


Vaccination rates for seasonal flu were 76 percent for whites, 68 percent for English-speaking Hispanics and 64 percent for Spanish-speaking Hispanics, the study reported.

“All Hispanic seniors are less likely to become immunized, and we found the problem seems to be the worst in new immigrant communities where Spanish is the predominant language,” lead author and statistician Amelia M. Haviland said in a RAND news release. “These findings suggest new strategies may be needed to target an important problem.”

She and her colleagues found that communities where there was a long-standing Hispanic population had significantly smaller disparities in flu vaccination rates. In addition, Hispanic seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans had higher pneumonia immunization rates than those in traditional fee-for-service Medicare plans, regardless of language preference.

The study was published in the Jan. 24 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about vaccinations for seniors.

— Robert Preidt

SOURCE: RAND Corp., news release, Jan. 24, 2011

Last Updated: Jan. 26, 2011

Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

How to Cope With Stomach Flu Symptoms

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDay News) — If you get the stomach flu (also known as viral gastroenteritis), there are a number of things you can do to cope with the illness, an expert suggests.

“This virus causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, and head and muscle aches. Although the virus itself most often is not a serious health threat, it can cause serious complications like
dehydration, which can be especially dangerous for young children and older adults,” Dr. Christopher Zipp, a family physician at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey’s School of Osteopathic Medicine, said in a university news release.

Zipp offered the following tips for coping with stomach flu:

    Avoid dehydration by consuming plenty of fluids. The best choices are water or half-strength juices. It’s best to avoid sodas or sports drinks, but they can be given to people who can’t tolerate the recommended fluids.
    Relieve body aches and fever by taking over-the-counter, non-aspirin pain relievers such as acetaminophen, as directed.
    Rest as much as possible.
    Take steps to prevent spread of the virus. Throw away used tissues immediately and wash your hands often. Soiled bed linens or clothes should be washed separately from other laundry.
    Make sure you’re fully recovered before heading back to work or school. People with the stomach flu can still be contagious for up to 72 hours after they feel better.

“Keep in mind that this illness is caused by a virus. Antibiotics, which work against bacterial infections, will not help you to recover,” Zipp explained.

“Most people will begin to feel better after a couple of days, but don’t hesitate to contact your physician if you or a family member experiences extreme symptoms, such as uncontrolled vomiting or a high fever that persists and does not respond to over-the-counter medications,” he added.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more about viral gastroenteritis.

– Robert Preidt

SOURCE: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, news release, Jan. 7, 2011

Last Updated: Jan. 12, 2011

Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.