Pneumonia Among Older Adults Report

PneuVUE Study - A New View into Pneumonia Among Older Adults Report

“Did you know that 24% of older adults aged 50 years and older in Europe believe car accidents cause the highest number of deaths in their country compared with the 4% for pneumonia – in reality, pneumonia is responsible for almost 4x as many deaths!” - PneuVUE (Adult Pneumonia VaccineUnderstanding in Europe) Study

On 25^th April 2016, Ipsos on behalf of Pfizer launched the A New View into Pneumonia Among Older Adults Report with findings from one of the largest pneumonia awareness surveys, involving over 9,000 adults aged 50 years and older in nine European Union Countries. 

Dr. Jane Barratt, Secretary General of the IFA is on PneuVUE’s Expert Panel and examined the results of the study which demonstrated varying levels of knowledge and particularly low awareness of pneumonia prevention. 

Some key findings from the report include:

·         Older adults lack understanding of the potential risks of pneumonia and how to prevent it, which causes over 120,000 deaths every year in Europe.

·         Only 3 out of 10 older adults are aware that it is possible to be vaccinated against pneumonia.

·         The decision to have a pneumonia vaccine was prompted by a family doctor or specialist in 75% of cases, demonstrating the important role of healthcare professionals in protecting people at risk.

Prevention of pneumonia and its consequences is a critical element of healthy ageing allowing older adults to long full lives where they can contribute socially and economically to their community and society.

FROM: International Federation of Ageing (IFA)