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Impact: News and Resources

The News & Resources page is a space to explore up to date information about V4L projects, press releases, reports, latest videos and access helpful infographics.

Raising awareness of RSV as part of your vaccine preventable respiratory diseases in Canada

August 1, 2024

Ageing organizations support NACI’s recommendations on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for older and at-risk adults in Canada The International Federation on Ageing (IFA), The Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP), The National Institute on Ageing (NIA) and Canada’s National Seniors’ Advocacy Organization (CanAge) are pleased to see the recent recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) regarding RSV prevention in Canada, which support protecting older and at-risk populations in Canada.

Press Release

Socio-Economic Value of Adult Immunisation Programmes

The Office of Health Economics (OHE) report “Socio-Economic Value of Adult Immunisation Programmes” highlights the substantial socio-economic benefits of adult immunisation programs. These programs can yield up to 19 times the investment by improving health outcomes, reducing healthcare costs, and enhancing societal productivity. The study underscores the importance of prioritizing adult vaccination to foster healthier communities and a more efficient healthcare system.

Click here to download the Full Report

 

Increasing Adult Immunization Strategies and Actions

Attend the virtual workshop Informing National Adult Immunization Strategies and Action in Germany and France. The overarching purpose of the workshop is to leverage the work of experts, organizations, and government at a national level in France and Germany to develop a targeted approach to immunization policy, in consideration of country-specific context, policies, programs and attitudes towards immunization.

Virtual Workshop

Advancing Immunization Through the Decade of Healthy Ageing

Advancing Immunization Through the Decade of Healthy Ageing is a report that shines a powerful light on the gaps in vaccination policies for older adults, as well as emerging opportunities.  Through V4L’s work, immunization can be viewed as an opportunity to combat inequities, improve access to immunization, and promote health throughout life, including helping preserve function and prevent death and disability.

Click here to download the Full Report   Click here to download the Press Release

 

IFA launches their Shingles Atlas for Adult Vaccination (SAAV) advocacy tool to support gaps in shingles vaccination policy globally.

The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) is proud to announce the subsequent launch of the Shingles Atlas for Adult Vaccination (SAAV) advocacy tool during World Immunization Week, which was held between 24th of April to 30th of April 2024.

Click here to download the Press Release | Find out more about the SAAV Interactive World Map

 

Improving Canadian Adult Influenza Immunization Rates Through Knowledge and Action

In an effort to better understand the perceptions, awareness and knowledge of influenza as a vaccine-preventable disease, the importance of vaccination and the options available among older adults, the IFA has embarked upon the Improving Canadian Adult Influenza Immunization Rates Through Knowledge and Action Project! This project included key informant interviews and an on-line survey which gathered Canadians views on influenza vaccination practices and the vaccines available to older people. Using this information, the IFA has developed a number of awareness raising and educational resources to ensure that all Canadians have access to the important information they need in an appropriate and easy to use format…

Influenza brochure, fact sheet, social media toolkit

RSV: Raising awareness, driving prevention

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus and is often misunderstood to be only a childhood illness.  However, older adults and those with chronic conditions constitute a large at-risk population for serious complications from RSVs, including lower respiratory illness.  Every year, the RSV results in many older adults experiencing life-altering consequences, with estimates of 470,000 hospitalizations and 33,000 deaths in those aged 60 years and over in high-income countries, in 2019.  Despite such staggering numbers and the growing evidence indicating that RSV may compare to influenza disease, there is a significant underestimation of the disease burden in older adults…

Podcast, Global Cafe, Visual Assets

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…

Call to Action

The role of pharmacy in life-course vaccination

Vaccination is a highly effective and cost-efficient health intervention that not only keeps vaccinated individuals healthy but also improves the health of the entire population through direct and indirect impacts. Routine vaccination has helped control and eliminate several infectious diseases, preventing millions of deaths annually. Vaccination also reduces the burden on healthcare systems and curbs antimicrobial resistance. However, limited and inequitable access to vaccines in some countries, as well as vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, remain significant challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these access problems and strained health systems, highlighting the importance of proper information, and storage, handling and distribution of vaccines to ensure public confidence and trust in vaccination…

FIP Statement of Policy

Adult Vaccination Healthcare Providers Education ECHO Series

Despite the devastating impact of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) on individuals, societies, and nations, adult immunization as a pillar of healthy ageing is seldom prioritized.  Emerging from a global pandemic, there is a critical need to connect interdisciplinary stakeholders, provide a platform for knowledge sharing, and empower healthcare providers (HCPs) to be educators and advocates of adult vaccination for their constituents.

With this in mind, the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) is proud to announce the Adult Vaccination Healthcare Providers Education ECHO, which aims to strengthen healthcare provider skills and competencies to promote and advocate for adult immunization.  Building on previous programming and experience, IFA will harness the ECHOTM Model and its proven method of learning for this innovative program to educate and inform diverse healthcare providers on the important linkages between healthy ageing and the prevention of VPDs.

Learning opportunity, education

Presidential Symposium on Immunisation for all ages 

The International Federation on Ageing (IFA) recently held its 16th Global Conference on Ageing entitled Challenge, Transformation, Change which aimed to influence and shape policy that improves the quality of life of current and future generations of older people. The IFA’s 16th Global Conference boldly focused on themes not often prioritized and actioned in policy dialogue, including Immunisation for All Ages as a key theme. 

Executive Summary

Prioritisation of Vaccine Preventable Respiratory Diseases –2022

During 2022, through an advisory panel forum, Pfizer brought together experts in adult vaccination from across Europe to discuss the Prioritisation of Vaccine Preventable Respiratory Diseases. 

During the sessions, members of the advisory panel discussed the opportunities and challenges to elevate adult vaccination, beyond COVID-19 and influenza, to other adult vaccines such as pneumococcal, with a particular focus on how best to support health system sustainability and resilience ahead of Winter 2022/23…

Call to Action

Driving Policy Change through the Targeted Accelerated Implementation of the Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit (AVAT)

An expert meeting was held in Prague, Czech Republic to pilot-test the AVAT and ensure the feasibility of its implementation at a national level, while assessing components of the policy toolkit for its effectiveness in supporting adult vaccination advocacy.  Through dialogue with discipline and sector-diverse experts, including those from long-term care and social service settings, geriatricians, and industry, this meeting resulted in multiple outputs and assets to build capacity for advocacy while providing examples of how the toolkit can be used to create resources for such initiatives.

Executive Summary

Burden of disease – A focus on acute respiratory viruses in older adults

Why should older adults be particularly careful of acute respiratory viruses? What are risk factors for adverse outcomes? Why is RSV typically under-diagnosed in adults compared with flu and what are some of the long-term impacts? Are older adults always more at risk in a pandemic? What do we mean by ageism and what needs to be done to counter it…

Podcast

Influencing Adult Pneumonia Vaccination Policy

“Influencing Adult Pneumonia Vaccination Policy” assessed pneumonia vaccination policy, public health messages and campaigns for at-risk adult groups and older people across nine European countries with the ultimate goal of improving uptake rates of pneumonia vaccination and decreasing the burden of pneumonia among high-risk adults…

Summary report, consensus statement, country-level reports

Improving vaccine confidence in the most vulnerable populations

Despite the historical triumph of vacci­nation, societal distrust in the importance, safety, and effectiveness of vaccination has resulted in lowered rates of vaccine confidence amongst populations, contributing to epidemiological shifts in the burden of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs)…

Executive summary, consensus statement, message bank, press kit

Influenza stakeholder showcase

Vaccination against influenza (the flu) is the most impactful public health intervention that provinces, civil society organizations (CSOs), and individuals can support in order to protect older adults and immunocompromised individuals from poor outcomes following influenza infection…

Executive summary, consensus statement, policy brief, infographic, message bank, press kit

Adult pertussis vaccination

Given the rapid ageing of the world’s population and with the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing in motion, now is the time to prioritize and drive action towards the maintenance and improvement of the health and functional ability of older people. Life in later years can often be dominated by poor health, social isolation, and dependency on care which can have several significant negative consequences for older adults and society, adding further stress to an over-burdened health care system and decreasing the quality and years of life for older people around the world…

Technical report, infographic, message bank, press kit

Adult pneumonia vaccination in long-term care settings

The global population is rapidly changing, resulting in a shift in demographic distributions towards older ages, known as population ageing.  It is estimated that by 2050, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or older, with the proportion of this population and those 80 years or above doubling and tripling, respectively. With the significant shift in age distributions globally, there is an unprecedented demand for the implementation of comprehensive life course immunization programs, particularly for older adults and those with chronic conditions…

Technical report, consensus statement, press release

AV-HCP ECHO program learning series

The global ageing population is expected to increase from 9.4% in 2020 to 16% in 2050. In the context of healthy ageing and a life course approach to immunization, older persons are a rapidly growing population at risk for serious complications and death associated with infectious diseases. Parallel to the process of ageing is the increasing vulnerability to infectious diseases for those with noncommunicable diseases…

ECHO report, technical report, infographic, press kit

Adult vaccination advocacy toolkit (AVAT)

The Adult Vaccination Advocacy Toolkit responds to an urgent call from stakeholders and advocacy groups to influence and shape adult vaccination policy. The Toolkit is a collection of authoritative and adaptable resources designed around four key policy issues: vaccine pathways, expansion of the pool of vaccine administrators, effective targeted adult vaccination campaigns, and an environment that strives for vaccination equality…

Report, social media toolkit, webinars

Adult vaccination education program: Understanding (person) patient experiences ECHO

Vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among older people and those with chronic conditions who are at high-risk of serious complications from infection. Vaccination is one of the most effective public health interventions and a key component of healthy ageing. Despite clear evidence in support of the value of adult vaccination, the uptake rates remain suboptimal among older adults globally…

Modules, Hub members

Previous IFA News and resources 

Are Influenza Vaccines Worth It?

This blog was based on the paper written by: Palache, Abraham. (2018). Internal Medicine Review. Global Seasonal Influenza Disease and Vaccination: A Paradox with Substantial...

Man(ageing) Diabetes #WDD2018

What is Diabetes? Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases globally and continues to increase in numbers and significance.  Diabetes is a...

An Economic Analysis of Flu Vaccination

The IFA welcomes guest blogger Mr David Sinclair, Director, ILC-UK New research by the International Longevity Centre – UK (ILC-UK) argues that Government should take into...

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