Quiz Yourself :
Adult Immunizations

Immunizations aren't just for children.  Adults need immunizations, too, to protect themselves against disease.  Knowing which vaccinations you need can help you maintain your health and well-being throughout your lifetime. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about your immunization schedule.

1. True or False. A tetanus and diphtheria booster should be given every 15 years.
2. True or False. You need a polio booster throughout your lifetime.
3. True or False. The pneumococcal vaccine protects against pneumococcal pneumonia, a serious lung infection that 2 million Americans suffer from each year.
4. True or False. The influenza (flu) shot should be given to anyone age 50 or older; people with diabetes or chronic heart, kidney, blood, or lung problems, such as asthma and emphysema; and health care providers.
5. True or False. The best time to get a flu shot is December or January, when flu season starts.
6. True or False. The hepatitis A vaccine should be given to people who live, work, or travel outside the United States; military personnel; and food-service workers.
7. True or False. The measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles) vaccine should be given to women of childbearing age whose immunity to MMR is low.
8. True or False. If you live in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent and you work or spend time in wooded areas where ticks are present, you should consider getting a Lyme disease vaccination.
9. True or False. The smallpox vaccine has been added to the list of immunizations recommended for adults.
10. True or False. Only children need to have the varicella-zoster, a shot that protects against chickenpox.

The Answers

1. False.  It should be given every 10 years.
2. False.  Most adults who were vaccinated as children do not need further immunization for this disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Three groups of adults are considered high risk and should discuss with their doctor getting a polio vaccination or booster: people traveling to areas of the world where polio is common, laboratory workers who might handle the polio virus, and health care workers who treat people with polio.
3. True.  Those who should receive the vaccine are people age 65 and older; people with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes; people with chronic heart or lung diseases, such as asthma and emphysema; and adults without spleens or with weakened immune systems.  People vaccinated before age 65 should receive a second dose at age 65 if at least five years have passed since the first dose, according to the CDC.  People without spleens or with weakened systems should also receive a second dose at least five years after the first.
4. True.  Others who should receive an annual flu shot include residents of nursing homes, women in their second or third trimester during flu season, and family members or caregivers who may infect people at high risk for the flu, the CDC says.
5. False.  The best time to get this shot is October or November of each year, before the flu season begins.
6. True.  Intravenous drug users, people with chronic liver disease, people with clotting factor disorders, researchers who work with the virus in a lab setting, and individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behaviors also should receive the vaccine.
7. True.  A simple blood test can determine your immunity.  If your immunity isn't up to par and you're considering pregnancy, you'll need a booster shot at least a month before conception.
8. True.  You should also consider getting a vaccination if you plan to travel to an area where Lyme disease is prevalent and you plan to spend time in the woods.  The vaccine is not recommended for people with little exposure to wooded or overgrown areas infested with Lyme disease-carrying ticks, the CDC says.
9. False.  The CDC does not recommend that the general public be vaccinated against smallpox.  Smallpox vaccination is only recommended for researchers working on smallpox bioterrorism investigations and for health care workers at sites designated to take patients infected with smallpox.
10. False.  Chickenpox can be fatal in adults.  Any adult who didn't have chickenpox as a child should talk to a doctor about getting the vaccine.
    

Source

Wellness Library Health Ink and Vitality Communications ©2010

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