Because children are required to have a number of vaccines before they can even attend school, parents have at least an annual reminder to keep their shots up to date. However, many young adults in America remain unaware of the need to keep their shots current. According to the 2008 National Health Interview Survey of almost 22,000 adults, few young adults are aware that they can get vaccinated to prevent many deadly diseases including meningitis, whooping cough, tetanus and pneumonia as well as to guard against painful conditions such as shingles.

The survey revealed that vaccination rates are still far below national target levels. As an example, although 84 percent of Americans over the age of 50 know that tetanus causes lockjaw, and that a booster shot for tetanus prevention is required every 10 years, only about half (49 percent) of adults between the ages of 18 to 26 are aware of this fact. In addition, only 15 percent of people aged 19 to 64 have received the Tdap vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. (A Tdap booster is recommended in place of one tetanus-diphtheria booster vaccine).

In a news conference, Dr. William Schaffner, president elect of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) stated, “Over 50,000 adults die in the United States each year as the result of diseases that are potentially vaccine-preventable.” He also noted, “Many millions more become sick and require hospitalization and medical care.” He further clarified, “Some may pass these illnesses on to others.” Schaffner voiced another concern that when many of these young adults have children of their own, that vaccine rates will drop even further, causing diseases that have all but been eliminated in the U.S. will recur.

The survey also found that only 20 percent of participants knew about deadly pneumococcal disease, that claims the lives of up to 4,500 American adults each year, or that the disease is vaccine preventable. In addition, only 30 percent of the young adults who participated in the survey were aware that the flu, also preventable with a vaccine, takes nearly 40,000 Americans per year, while 59 percent of survey participants over 50 knew about the benefits of the flu vaccine.Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization said, “To me personally, the results are disappointing, but not surprising.”

Vaccination levels remain too low, according to the experts. Even among people 60 years of age and older, vaccine levels for influenza are only at 66.6 percent, and for pneumococcal vaccination the level remains at 60 percent. In addition, for women between the ages of 19 and 26, only about 10 percent have received a vaccine against the human papillomavirus although the vaccine can prevent 70 percent of all cervical cancers.