Explore national- and state-level data for hundreds of health, environmental and socioeconomic measures, including background information about each measure. Use features on this page to find measures; view subpopulations, trends and rankings; and download and share content.
How to use this page
United States Value:
Percentage of adults ages 65 and older who reported ever receiving a pneumonia vaccine
Explore Population Data:
Appears In:
Percentage of adults ages 65 and older who reported ever receiving a pneumonia vaccine
Percentage of adults ages 65 and older who reported ever receiving a pneumonia vaccine
Percentage of adults ages 65 and older who reported ever receiving a pneumonia vaccine
CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
US Value: 69.7%
Top State(s): Colorado: 76.3%
Bottom State(s): Hawaii: 60.4%
Definition: Percentage of adults ages 65 and older who reported ever receiving a pneumonia vaccine
Data Source and Years: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2021
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all adults ages 65 and older receive a vaccine that helps protect against pneumococcal disease. Pneumococcal infection is caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae. These bacteria can cause many kinds of infections, including pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections and meningitis. While most pneumococcal infections are mild, some can be fatal or result in long-term problems such as brain damage or hearing loss.
Hospitalization and death rates from pneumococcal infections are highest among older adults. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13, PCV15 or PCV20) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) are the two types of vaccine recommended to protect against pneumococcal disease in the U.S. The incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease has decreased over the past two decades with the introduction and uptake of pneumococcal vaccines in adults and children.
The prevalence of pneumococcal vaccination is higher among:
Strategies to increase pneumococcal vaccinations among older adults include:
Additionally, the American Academy of Family Physicians has established grants to support quality improvement initiatives to increase the rates of pneumococcal vaccinations among adults in Kansas, Illinois and New Jersey.
Healthy People 2030 has an objective to reduce the rate of hospital admissions for pneumonia among older adults.
Gierke, Ryan, Lesley McGee, Bernard Beall, and Tamara Pilishivili. 2020. “Chapter 11: Pneumococcal.” In Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, edited by Sandra W. Roush, Linda M. Baldy, and Mary Ann Kirkconnell Hall. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt11-pneumo.html.
Ho, Hanley J., Yi-Roe Tan, Alex R. Cook, Gerald Koh, Tat Yean Tham, Eve Anwar, Grace Shu Hui Chiang, May O. Lwin, and Mark I. Chen. 2019. “Increasing Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccination Uptake in Seniors Using Point-of-Care Informational Interventions in Primary Care in Singapore: A Pragmatic, Cluster-Randomized Crossover Trial.” American Journal of Public Health 109 (12): 1776–83. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305328.
Storms, Aaron D., Jufu Chen, Lisa A. Jackson, James D. Nordin, Allison L. Naleway, Jason M. Glanz, Steven J. Jacobsen, et al. 2017. “Rates and Risk Factors Associated with Hospitalization for Pneumonia with ICU Admission among Adults.” BMC Pulmonary Medicine 17 (December): 208. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-017-0552-x.
Williams, Walter W., Peng-Jun Lu, Alissa O’Halloran, David K. Kim, Lisa A. Grohskopf, Tamara Pilishvili, Tami H. Skoff, et al. 2017. “Surveillance of Vaccination Coverage among Adult Populations — United States, 2015.” MMWR. Surveillance Summaries 66 (11): 1–28. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6611a1.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.