Socially Active Older Women Benefit From Flu Vaccine

A Japanese study published in BMJ Open suggests socially active older women in particular can benefit from flu shots, reports Reuters Health . The study determined unvaccinated women older than 65 who regularly participated in two or more social activities were twice as likely to report a flu infection than those who did not, while women who were vaccinated had no additional risk. The researchers analyzed data for more than 12,200 men and 14,000 women older than 65, examining the link between flu infection and social participation in volunteer groups, sports groups, leisure activity groups, senior clubs, neighborhood associations, cultural groups, nursing care or health promotion groups, local events, and grandchild-rearing support. The team found vaccines may help reduce the spread of infection among social groups, and when no vaccine is available, non-pharmaceutical precautions such as respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette also could help. "Social participation has been linked to healthy aging and the maintenance of functional independence in older individuals," says Dr. Yukinobu Ichida of the Doctoral Institute for Evidence Based Policy in Japan.