Pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Among patients who require hospitalization, the mortality rate averages 12% and is even higher in individuals from nursing home settings and in those who develop bacteremia. Mortality rates increase to approximately 40% in community acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients admitted to intensive care units.
Influenza and its complications cause approximately 40,000 deaths per year in the United States. More than 90% of deaths from influenza and pneumonia (the most frequent complication of influenza) are in individuals 65 years and older.
Despite the fact that influenza and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines are extremely effective in reducing the deaths from influenza and invasive pneumococcal diseases (such as bacteremia and pneumococcal meningitis) vaccination rates remain suboptimal. For individuals 65 and over, the influenza vaccination rate is approximately 65% and pneumococcal vaccination is approximately 50% - significantly lower than the 90% goal for Healthy People 2010.
The National Pneumonia Project focuses on changing processes of care to reduce the risk of Medicare beneficiaries for acquiring influenza and pneumococcal disease and to improve the outcomes for those admitted to the hospital with community acquired pneumonia.
