Pneumococcal vaccination rates in children are expected to remain steady at approximately 85% in the combined seven major markets (7MM*) by 2028, while vaccination rates in the elderly are expected to slightly increase to only 62% in the combined six major markets (6MM**) by 2028, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The company’s latest report, ‘Pneumococcal Vaccines: Epidemiology Forecast to 2028’, reveals that the average pediatric pneumococcal vaccination rates in the combined 7MM are expected to marginally change from 85.98% in 2018 to 85.12% in 2028. In contrast, the average elderly pneumococcal vaccination rates in the combined 6MM are expected to slightly increase from 58.32% 2018 to 62.03% in 2028.

Natasha Karim, MPH, Managing Epidemiologist at GlobalData comments: “With pediatric pneumococcal vaccination, the primary reason for non-vaccination is vaccine hesitancy. In contrast, with elderly vaccination, the primary reason for non-vaccination is a lack of awareness about the pneumococcal vaccine from both the patient and healthcare professional.”

“While pediatric rates are promising, there is still room for improvement. Addressing vaccine hesitancy requires further investigation and analysis into specific social, behavioral and economic factors that play a role in whether or not an individual gets vaccinated. Furthermore, to help overcome insufficient doctor-patient communication and knowledge about vaccines, incentives or certifications should be offered to doctors who remain up-to-date on national vaccine guidelines and who are properly trained in vaccine counseling.”

“In the future, continued efforts should focus on carrying out a targeted, actionable, and effective country-specific approach to overcome vaccine hesitancy, increase vaccine awareness, and ultimately reduce invasive pneumococcal disease incidence worldwide.”

*7MM: The US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan

**6MM: The US, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan