Did You Know?

Related to Human Papillomavirus Vaccination

• HPV vaccine is a covered benefit for TRICARE female beneficiaries who are 9 through 26 years of age.

• HPV vaccine is a covered benefit for TRICARE female beneficiaries who are 9 through 26 years of age.

• There are an estimated 6.2 million new cases of HPV in the United States each year; 74 percent occurs in the 15 to 24-year-old population.

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been found to be the number one cause of cervical cancer.

• Persistent HPV infection develops in 10 percent of the females infected with the virus and is associated with a higher risk for developing cancer.

• The HPV vaccine can be given to females who have minor acute illnesses, such as diarrhea or mild upper respiratory tract infections, with or without fever.

Related to Acute Myocardial Infarction

• Many people wait for over 12 hours to seek treatment for heart attack symptoms. Prompt treatment of a heart attack can help prevent or limit lasting damage to the heart and can prevent sudden death.

• The American Heart Association recommends aspirin use for patients who have had a heart attack (unless the patient has other conditions that prevent him or her from safely taking aspirin).

• National guidelines strongly recommend continuing beta blocker medicine for patients who have had a heart attack, because this helps prevent another heart attack.

• Studies show that patients will live longer after having a heart attack, if they take an ACE inhibitor or an ARB medicine.

• One year after quitting smoking, a person’s risk of heart disease decreases by 50 percent.

Related to Pneumonia

• Pneumonia is the cause of nearly 55 million days of restricted activity, 31.5 million bed days, and 1.3 million hospitalizations each year.

• Inpatient treatment for pneumonia amounts to more than $7.5 billion annually.

• Approximately 5 million cases of pneumonia occur annually.

• Influenza (or Flu) vaccine and Pneumonia vaccine (PCV or PPV) are TRICARE covered benefits.

• Vaccines for pneumococcal disease and influenza can help prevent community-acquired pneumonia.

• National guidelines recommend that pneumococcal vaccine be given to all patients age 65 or older and younger patients who have medical conditions associated with increased risk for pneumonia.

• National guidelines recommend influenza vaccination for adults 50 years of age or older.

Related to Surgical Infection Prevention

• Surgical site infections are the second most common hospital-acquired infections in the United States.

• Surgical site infections prolong hospital stays by an average of 7.5 days.

• Surgical site infections cost the nation $130 million to $845 million each year.

• Surgical site infections are an unintended consequence of surgery two to five percent of the time, and can affect up to 2 million Americans annually.

• Surgical site infections can be prevented 40 to 60 percent of the time.

• Using proper technique for hand washing is the single most important means of preventing infections.

General Items

• Quitting smoking can reduce the risk of heart attack and pneumonia, and can significantly reduce the chance of getting a surgical infection.

• Studies show that smokers are more likely to quit smoking if a doctor advises them to do so.