August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and it’s the perfect time to check your immunization record to make sure it’s up to date. We tend to make sure our young children receive their recommended vaccinations, but when it comes to ourselves, we often forget that there are recommended vaccinations for adults and adolescents, too.

Missed vaccinations contribute to the overall disease burden and our increasing health care costs. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates up to $10 billion is spent each year in the U.S. on vaccine-preventable diseases.

What should you do make sure your vaccination record is up-to-date? Concentra recommends the following steps:

• Keep a record in a safe place of all your vaccinations, noting:
• the type of vaccination received (e.g. influenza, measles/mumps/rubella, etc.)
• the date you received each vaccination
• Obtain a list of recommended vaccinations, such as the one listed in Concentra’s Adult Immunization flyer to determine if you are up-to-date
• If you have specific health conditions or risk factors, consult your physician to determine if additional vaccinations are appropriate for you
• Obtain your vaccinations in a timely manner, as advised

One of the most common vaccinations that adults may let lapse is for tetanus, called the tetanus-diphtheria/tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (or "Td/Tdap") vaccination. The typical recommendation is for adults to receive a booster shot every 10 years. More information is available in Concentra’s Tetanus flyer.

For more information on vaccinations, ask your physician or visit the CDC Web site.