Flu & Chronic Health Conditions Toolkit

The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) commissioned two national surveys (conducted online from October 28-November 8, 2021) to better understand knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward flu and pneumococcal vaccination as well as communication between healthcare professionals (HCPs) and adult patients with chronic health conditions.

Influenza (flu) is a contagious and potentially deadly virus that can result in serious complications for individuals living with chronic health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes, even when chronic conditions are well-controlled. Estimates indicate that 31 percent of US adults age 50-64 years and 47 percent of those age 65 and older have at least one chronic health condition that puts them at high risk for flu-related complications, including hospitalization, catastrophic disability, and even death.

There is an urgent need to raise awareness of the burden of flu and COVID-19 in adults with chronic health conditions. In addition to focusing attention on new COVID-19 vaccines, it is important to remember that annual flu vaccines have proven to be safe and effective in protecting patients with chronic health conditions from severe flu-related outcomes.

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a key role in communicating the benefits of annual flu vaccination in mitigating the risks of flu and reducing severe flu-related outcomes in patients with chronic health conditions. Additionally, HCPs must be prepared to recognize and address barriers to vaccination, including lack of consumer confidence in vaccine efficacy and misperceptions about the impact of flu, and should insist upon annual flu vaccination—particularly for patients with known chronic health conditions and for those who may have an undiagnosed chronic health condition or are likely to spread flu to others.

Join the growing list of supporting organizations that have signed on to support the goals of increasing awareness of the dangers of influenza and COVID-19 among adults with chronic health conditions and the benefits of annual vaccination, to improve public health and patient outcomes.

Supporting Organizations Pledge