Many Older African Americans Avoid Flu Shot
October 23, 2009 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
A study has found older African Americans are less likely to get a flu shot than are older non-Hispanic whites. It’s not uncommon to hear about differences in certain illnesses and approach to illnesses, depending on race or culture, or even genetics. For example, it’s known that African Americans have 
a higher risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension). However, when it’s a behavior, such as avoiding a vaccination, it’s important for the medical community to understand why this is happening.
Researchers in Buffalo, NY, looked at the reasons why older African Americans may be reluctant to get a flu shot and they found several factors:
- Many thought that vaccines provided life-long immunity, not just a few months
- It wasn’t understood by many that there were different forms of influenza, which is why vaccines change from year to year
- Some think the vaccine causes the flu
- 75% had been vaccinated against influenza at some time in their life
- 50% had a flu vaccine last year
There is also a distrust among the older population because of the history of vaccinations and studies from the government and mistreatment of their community. This may be the hardest part to fight because once trust is lost, it’s harder to regain then getting it in the first place.
Learning this information shows researchers that it’s important that influenza and influenza vaccine information be targeted to the areas of the population that need it most. The only way to increase compliance is through education.
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Source: Despite risk, older African-Americans more likely than others to avoid flu vaccine
Image: PhotoXpress.com
Why would African Americans not be anxious to get a flu shot Hmmmm, I wonder why? Could it be that during the late 1970s there was an inoculation Program? Vaccines were given to Homosexuals in the Manhattan area of New York. A vaccine for (the Hepatitis B virus) a sexually contracted disease prevalent among Homosexuals. These people started developing rear forms of Cancers and other rear diseases, which we now know as the AIDS Virus.
Or could it be that thereafter there was an inoculation program in Africa of 55 million Africans that were given the small pox vaccine whom later also developed the AIDs virus, after Homosexuals in the U.S. started developing AIDs? The U.S. had the first cases of AIDS
http://www.rense.com by Alan Cantwell,Jr, MD. In that period AIDs was unknown in Africa
It’s interesting to note that because the majority of Homosexuals were white (embarrassing) the media focused on Black People. The U.S. media would not touch the truth about AIDS with a 100 pole, still to this day. That’s why you would here things through the media like “Man its hitting those black people hard” it is a diversion, just like an attempt to blame the So-called swine flu on Mexico. (HINI was here in 1976) Mexico has no were near the flu cases that the U.S. has. Their climate doesn’t support wide spread flues. Think its bull? Check it out yourself and you will see what countries have the highest cases. It’s the good old U.S.A. http://www.googleflutrend.com have you Ever heard of the All-Americans flu? Ever hear of the California or Texas fruit fly? “I thought so” 36.000 people die and 200.000 are hospitalized yearly in the U.S. how many millions are sick in Bed??
Why would African Americans not be anxious to get a flu shot? Hmmm “bits me”