EFFECTIVENESS OF INFLUENZA AND PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINATION IN PREVENTING HOSPITALISATION DUE TO PNEUMONIA IN OLDER PERSONS

流感和肺炎球菌仍然是澳大利亚疾病和死亡的重要原因。它们可能导致肺炎和严重的呼吸道疾病，包括死亡，特别是在老年人中。这是因为对感染的天然免疫力往往会随着年龄的增长而下降。因此，建议所有65岁或65岁以上的人接种流感和肺炎球菌疫苗，但只有维多利亚才有公共资金接种这两种疫苗。维多利亚州的倡议似乎对提高疫苗接种覆盖率产生了显著影响，但其对疾病的影响从未得到评估。这项研究将评估疫苗接种覆盖率，错过的疫苗接种机会，流感和肺炎球菌疫苗在预防肺炎住院方面的有效性，以及目前资助的疫苗接种计划在该年龄组中的成本效益。这被视为一个优先事项，因为这些感染引起的疾病严重，但可以预防。这项研究将提高对个人接种疫苗重要性的认识，并考虑到老年澳大利亚人的高估计疫苗覆盖率，很好地为老年澳大利亚人接种流感和肺炎球菌疫苗的有效性和成本效益提供了第一个可用的证据。研究结果可能对维多利亚和澳大利亚其他地方的公共卫生政策产生重大影响。

Flu and pneumococcus remain important causes of illness and death in Australia. They can cause pneumonia and severe respiratory illness, including death, especially in older people. This is because natural immunity against infections tends to decrease with age. Vaccination against flu and pneumococcus is therefore recommended for all persons aged 65 years or older, but only in Victoria are both vaccines publicly funded. The Victorian initiative appears to have had a marked impact on improving vaccination coverage, but its impact on disease has never been assessed. This study will estimate vaccination coverage, missed vaccination opportunities, effectiveness of flu and pneumococcal vaccines in preventing hospitalisation for pneumonia, and cost-effectiveness of the currently funded vaccination program in this age group. This is considered a priority because of the serious but preventable nature of the diseases caused by these infections. This study will improve awareness of the importance of vaccination among individuals, and given the high estimated vaccine coverage in older Victorians, is well placed to provide the first available evidence for or against effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of flu and pneumococcal vaccination in older Australians. The results may have major implications for public health policy in Victoria and elsewhere in Australia.