2023-06-26 08:59:37
An imbalance in the control of the disease, various serious complications, hospitalization… These are some of the consequences of not getting vaccinated that the FEDE alerts people with diabetes. Misinformation on vaccination poses a risk to the health of people with chronic diseases.
Flu vaccination. EFE/Javier Lizon
The Spanish Diabetes Federation (FEDE) has launched a campaign called “Immunization 2023” to curb existing misinformation about vaccination among people with chronic diseases in Spain, especially among those who suffer from diabetes.
With this they intend to increase vaccination figures and prevent chronic patients from acquiring preventable diseases that can cause more serious complications.
People suffering from chronic diseases in Spain are approximately 20 million, of which close to six are diabetic.
The health experts of the federation and representatives of the patients warn of the danger that these people run when they stop vaccinating.
Las infectious diseases they can have much worse consequences for people with chronic diseases than for those without them, in addition to increasing the risks of hospitalization.
“Vaccination is beneficial in the entire population, but more so in those patients who suffer from chronic pathologies, such as diabetes. For example, the risk of hospital admission for pneumococcal pneumonia is multiplied by 39. Its risk is also higher in other infections such as flu or herpes zoster. Vaccination is also a healthy lifestyle habit, which is also very necessary in its pathology”, says Dr. Isabel Jimeno Sanz, head of the vaccine group at the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG).
Myths about vaccination
There is a false belief among certain people who suffer from chronic diseases, such as diabetes, that it is preferable not to get vaccinated “mild” illnesses.
A clear example is that of the gripe. It is perceived as a “mild illness”, but the truth is that some 6.300 personas die from it in Spain every year.
Your vaccine reaches a 70% effective and decreases the possibility of developing more serious complications derived from this infectious disease. This is why the annual vaccination It is especially recommended for people with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, hemophilia or morbid obesity.
The truth is that being vaccinated against the flu reduces 6 times the odds of being hospitalized for this disease, as well as 7 times the chances of dying from pneumonia in people with diabetes.
Immunization by infection:
Another of the most widespread myths is that the immunization produced by infection with a disease is superior to that of vaccines. This is totally false.
Although vaccination causes an infection similar to that of infectious diseases, it does so without the possible consequences and serious complications of the same.
People with diabetes have 39 times more likely to be hospitalized for a pneumococcal pneumonia, a disease that is preventable by a simple vaccine. In addition, a mild illness can cause insulin resistance y glycemic variations in these patients.
Infectious diseases can have very negative consequences for diabetes patients. EFE/Matthias Hiekel
Vaccine Benefits
According to OMSvaccines prevent almost 3 million deaths every year around the world. This is why they can be considered the main human intervention to reduce mortality rates associated with preventable diseases.
Currently, there are more than 40 vaccinations for the prevention of 25 infectious diseases avoidable. They benefit especially those people who belong to groups of risk populationas is the case with people with diabetes.
It is also noteworthy the significant savings in the Health expenditure What do vaccines mean? 22 euros per euro investedof which €5 correspond to direct health care costs and €17 to indirect costs.
For people with diabetes, as well as for those who belong to the risk population, immunization by vaccination is recommended against diseases such as gripehe pneumococcusthe whooping coughthe hepatitis B or the Herpes zosteramong other.
Infographic of the Immunization 2023 campaign. Image courtesy of FEDE
Main measures of the campaign
With the collaboration of GSK, MSD and Sanofi and under the label #Immunization2023FEDE will share the interactive resources created for this campaign.
Its objective is to raise awareness and sensitize people with diabetes and their environments about the importance of vaccination as a preventive method against infectious diseases.
In addition, they recall the serious imbalances that can be caused in the control of diabetes in unvaccinated patients and add that, in the long term, this would considerably affect their standard of living.
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