CMA - California Medical Association

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pneumococcal disease is the leading cause of serious illness among children and adults. Each year, there are an estimated 175,000 hospitalized cases of pneumococcal pneumonia. While vaccines to prevent pneumococcal disease in adults have been available for more than 20 years, only 57 percent of adults 65 and older reported receiving a pneumococcal vaccination in 2006 (the most recent data available).

The California Medical Association (CMA) Foundation's Network of Ethnic Physician Organization (NEPO) is collaborating with ethnic media and ethnic physicians to raise awareness and understanding of pneumococcal disease and its prevention within the Latino community in Los Angeles County in 2012.

NEPO's Pneumococcal Project, "Ethnic Physicians and Ethnic Media – Partnering to Increase Pneumococcal Vaccination – A Family Affair" campaign was kicked off in April when NEPO leadership met with partners including, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department Immunization Branch and Coalition, Healthcare Partners Medical Group and the Community Clinic Association.

NEPO is also partnering with the Los Angeles County Immunization Coalition on a county-wide baseline survey of adult vaccination and pneumococcal disease best practices. This survey will be sent to all physicians in the county this summer. The data collected will help NEPO with the pneumococcal outreach messages to physicians and Latinos.