The Swedish Vaccination 2007 Index
The Swedish Vaccination 2007 Index shows that no Swedish counties provide HPV vaccines for girls free of charge, while in the UK and Portugal such preventive action will be soon included in the national programs.
Every year 2 000 elderly people in Sweden die from having acquired the flu. While some counties shows good flu coverage and run an active policy (flu shots for free, personal information package to every senior) others are less constructive re. prevention. WHO guidelines say that from the year 2010 75 percent of Swedish seniors (65+) should have an annual flu shot - the new Index shows that only 56 percent really get it!
The Index reveals as well surprisingly huge variations in standard coverage for children. In the strongly decentralised Swedish system it is more or less up to each primary or maternal care unit to decide which vaccines to offer, how to arrange the service and how (or if) to inform. All together there is a risk that the vaccine consumer lacks the overview and finds it hard to make informed choices.