Pneumonia on Older Adults

IFA Statement on the Impact of Pneumonia on Older Adults

Adults aged 70 years and older have the highest incidence of pneumonia globally. (1) Considering that by 2030 one in six people will be 60 years or older, and by 2050 this will increase to 2.1 billion, preventing and treating pneumonia must be a global priority. (2)

Most research and interventions target the prevention and treatment of pneumonia in children under the age of five years, which has led to a decrease in childhood pneumonia infections and deaths globally. (3–6) The same advances have not been made in the prevention of pneumonia for older adults. Evidence shows that pneumonia can be both prevented and treated for older adults when sufficient resources are made available. (1,7) A commitment to reduce the burden of pneumonia for all vulnerable populations is long overdue.

The International Federation on Ageing (IFA), as a member of the Every Breath Counts Coalition, is aligned with the mission to reduce the burden of pneumonia and prioritize immunization throughout life to maximize health and well-being. The IFA calls on professional, patient and advocacy organizations, together with all levels of government to:

Develop local burden of pneumonia maps with age-disaggregated data.

There is limited data on the impact of pneumonia on older adults. By mapping age-disaggregated pneumonia prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates, data can (i) lead to the identification of pneumonia hot spots for older adults; (ii) trace the etiology and co-morbidities associated with pneumonia; (iii) demonstrate the preventative impact of environmental and behavioural interventions; and (iv) demonstrate the impact of health system interventions on mortality rates.¬ (3) Investing in robust monitoring and surveillance systems gives health authorities the intellectual resources necessary to respond to the public health threat posed by pneumonia.

Increase access to education and treatment.

Healthcare systems need to be well-resourced to adopt a life-course approach to pneumonia prevention and treatment. Beyond vaccination, secondary and tertiary responses to pneumonia also need expansion, particularly in LMICs. Pneumonia mortality reduction measures include access to healthcare facilities, antibiotics, sufficient nutrition, and oxygen. (3) Educating healthcare workers on the presentation of pneumonia in older adults – significantly different than its presentation in younger people – is also essential to increase access to treatment.

Reducing the global burden of pneumonia is possible.  The IFA is proud to support World Pneumonia Day and applauds this year’s theme of Pneumonia across the Life Course.

Source:

1. Kyu HH, Vongpradith A, Sirota SB, Novotney A, Troeger CE, Doxey MC, et al. Age–sex differences in the global burden of lower respiratory infections and risk factors, 1990–2019: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet Infect Dis [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2022 Sep 26];0(0). Available here
2. World Health Organization. Decade of Healthy Ageing Baseline Report [Internet]. Geneva; 2021 [cited 2022 Sep 21]. Available here
3. JustActions. The Missing Piece: Why the global pandemic is an inflection point for pneumonia control. 2021 [cited 2022 Sep 26]; Available here
4. World Health Organization, The United Nations Children’s Fun (UNICEF). Ending Preventable Child Deaths from Pneumonia and Diarrhoea by 2025: The integrated Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhoea [Internet]. Geneva; 2013 [cited 2022 Sep 27]. Available here
5. Barratt J, Bouzanis K. Influencing Adult Pneumonia Vaccination Policy [Internet]. Toronto; 2022 May [cited 2022 Sep 27]. Available here
6. Stupka JE, Mortensen EM, Anzueto A, Restrepo MI. Community-acquired pneumonia in elderly patients. Aging health [Internet]. 2009 [cited 2022 Sep 27];5(6):763. Available here
7. Partners in Health. Building Strong Health Systems | Partners In Health [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2022 Oct 3]. Available here
8. World Health Organization. Ending Preventable Child Deaths from Pneumonia and Diarrhoea by 2025 The integrated Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhoea ( GAPPD ) [Internet]. Geneva; 2013 Jan [cited 2022 Oct 5]. Available here

Social Media Kit

The IFA has created the following Social Media kit to help organizations for older adults share impactful information to their members.