Addressing Adult Immunisation Inequity and Improving the Uptake Rates of Adult Vaccination Among Older People

This exciting publication underscores the importance and urgency of ensuring equitable access to vaccinations for all older adults through the sustained and meaningful integration of a life course approach to immunization and highlights the IFA’s continued commitment to ensuring that the rights and choices of older adults are respected and protected. The article illustrates the interrelated nature of NCDs and population ageing, highlighting key opportunities for synergistic action aligned with global agendas such as the WHO Immunization Agenda 2030, the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing and the WHO Global Report on Ageism. The article represents a unique policy lever towards improving uptake rates of vaccination among older adults, highlighting new information on the systemic and personal barriers to vaccination among this at risk population including, a lack of recommendations for adults in national vaccination programs, lack of access to vaccination, complex vaccination pathways, out of pocket cost for vaccines, lack of data collection on adult vaccination, lack of targeted public health messages and campaigns and a general lack of knowledge about vaccination among older adults.