Flu, pneumonia death rates down locally
6/19/2008 10:54 PM   0 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend



By HALEY HUGHES

Staff writer

The number of influenza and pneumonia deaths in the United States was down in 2006, a trend Aiken Regional Medical Centers is seeing on a local level, as well.

The Centers for Disease Control reported this week that U.S. mortality rates for eight of the 10 leading causes of death all dropped significantly in 2006, including a "very sharp drop" in mortality from influenza and pneumonia.

"The preliminary number of deaths in the United States in 2006 was 2,425,900, a 22,117 decrease from the 2005 total. With a rapidly growing older population, declines in the number of deaths are unusual, and the 2006 decline is likely the result of more mild influenza mortality ..." according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

The news did not come as a surprise to ARMC staff, who attributed the numbers to an "aggressive" vaccination policy that it and other U.S. hospitals have.

According to ARMC, pneumonia and influenza together are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States for patients ages 65 and older. Pneumonia is the seventh leading reason for admission to Aiken Regional.

Marilyn Swanson, a clinical practice specialist, said the hospital has seen steep drops in line with national data.

The hospital began administering both influenza and pneumococcal vaccines in 2004.

Swanson said the number of cases the hospital sees are "less and less every year."

"Since we started administering the vaccines, we have seen a steady drop in the number of patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In 2004, we had 660 admissions for CAP compared to 253 admissions in 2007," said Melissa Summer, ARMC director of marketing. "While certainly other factors influenced this decrease in admissions for pneumonia, we feel certain that our diligent administration of vaccines has significantly contributed to the decline in CAP admissions."

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