Q: Why is it important for patients to receive recommended vaccinations, especially before the school year begins?
A: Every member of the family should be up-to-date on their vaccinations, especially as the school year approaches. Vaccines are safe, effective and save lives. Immunizations are among the most cost-effective and successful ways to keep ourselves, our families and our communities healthy. When you get vaccinated, you protect yourself and those around you. Your vaccination status impacts those who are unable to get vaccinated, such as infants under 6 months old and those who have weak immune systems.
The best way to prevent getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, or even dying, from an infectious disease is to get immunized. This includes flu vaccines, COVID-19 bivalent vaccines, and other childhood immunizations, as recommended by the CDC and AAFP.
Q: How do family physicians help ensure everyone receives their recommended vaccinations?
A: Understanding immunization schedules and keeping up with changing vaccine recommendations can be overwhelming, but family physicians can ensure that every member of a family receives the recommended vaccinations. Parents should talk to their family physician about which vaccines are appropriate for their child’s age and grade.
Family physicians are well-equipped to administer vaccines to all members of the family and counsel patients on which vaccines they need and how different vaccines work. Patients trust their family physicians and can rely on them for accurate information and guidance. Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows 46 percent of Americans are more likely to get vaccinated if the COVID-19 vaccine was offered to them at a place they normally go for health care, including their family physician.
Q: How do family physicians address vaccine misinformation and encourage patients to get vaccinated?
A: The spread of patently false information can undermine safety, put communities at risk and potentially cause patients to forgo treatment rather than follow the guidance of trusted family doctors, scientists and medical experts. Family physicians are well-positioned to address vaccine hesitancy, educate patients and combat misinformation.
Family physicians can answer questions and address concerns about immunization to help patients understand why they are necessary and to help them make the decision that’s best for their family’s health. They explain that before vaccines are made available to the public, multiple stages of research, testing, and clinical trials take place to make sure they are safe and effective. If patients express concern about potential vaccine side effects, family physicians reassure them that side effects occur because the vaccine is doing its job by activating the immune system.
Q: What barriers impact vaccine equity and how can family physicians help increase access to vaccines?
A: Regardless of economic and insurance status, children and adults should have access to all recommended immunizations. Family physicians play an important role in ensuring all members of the community can receive the COVID-19 vaccine, flu vaccine, and other routine immunizations that prevent dangerous diseases.
According to the CDC, 24 million adults are uninsured, which is an important predictor of low vaccine uptake. Low vaccination rates among adults in racial and ethnic minority groups are even lower for those without health insurance. A lack of health literacy can also create barriers to vaccine access for patients of color, low-income patients, rural patients and patients in underserved areas.
For families living in rural areas, receiving immunizations from an office-based family physician may be the only option. Better coordination of vaccine distribution can reach the unvaccinated and help people overcome vaccine hesitancy, improve health literacy and alleviate the strain on hospitals amid staffing shortages and in rural and underserved areas.
For more resources, visit the AAFP’s consumer website, https://familydoctor.org.
