AJR113: Joint Resolution Text

LRB-5576/1

CMH:ahe

2017 - 2018 LEGISLATURE

2017 Assembly JOINT RESOLUTION 113

February 21, 2018 - Introduced by Representatives Petryk and Kolste. Referred to Committee on Rules.

AJR113,1,1 Relating to: declaring August as Shingles Awareness and Improvement Month.

AJR113,1,4 Whereas, herpes zoster (shingles) is a disease caused by the same virus (zoster) that causes chicken pox; therefore, any individual who has contracted chicken pox is at risk for shingles (approximately 98 percent of U.S. adults); and

AJR113,1,6 Whereas, nearly one in three people in the United States will contract shingles in their lifetime, corresponding to an estimated one million people annually; and

AJR113,1,9 Whereas, risk of shingles increases with age, with nearly half of those affected are over 60 years and half of people living until 85 years of age will develop shingles; and

AJR113,1,13 Whereas, shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash that can be severe along with other symptoms including long-term nerve pain, fever, headache, chills, upset stomach, muscle weakness, skin infection, scarring, decrease or loss of vision or hearing; and

AJR113,2,2 Whereas, as much as 20 percent of adults who have contracted shingles will develop postherpetic neuralgia, a debilitating complication of shingles that causes severe pain, that may interfere with sleep and recreational activities, and be associated with clinical depression; and

AJR113,2,5 Whereas, vaccines have reduced the burden of widespread and often fatal diseases, enabling individuals to lead longer and healthier lives while reducing health care costs; and

AJR113,2,9 Whereas, although much attention has been paid to the importance of childhood vaccinations, there is a general lack of awareness of adult-recommended vaccines, and a misperception that immunizations are unnecessary for healthy adults; and

AJR113,2,13 Whereas, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommend that healthy adults 50 years and older be vaccinated against shingles to prevent shingles and shingles-related complications; and

AJR113,2,16 Whereas, despite the recommendations of CDC officials and other experts that all healthy adults be vaccinated against shingles, as of 2015 only 30 percent of eligible adults had received the shingles vaccine; and

AJR113,2,18 Whereas, the annual economic burden of shingles in American adults is estimated to be between $782 million and $5.0 billion; and

AJR113,2,20 Whereas, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has stated that one of the six causes of excess costs in the U.S. healthcare system is missed prevention opportunities; and

AJR113,2,23 Whereas, millions of American adults go without routine and recommended vaccinations because our medical system is not set up to ensure that adults receive regular preventive healthcare; and

AJR113,3,3 Whereas, as the month of August is observed as National Immunization Awareness Month, residents of Wisconsin should be encouraged to speak with their healthcare provider to ensure that they have been properly vaccinated against shingles according to current CDC and ACIP recommendations; now, therefore, be it

AJR113,3,8 Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin State Legislature recognizes August as “Shingles Awareness and Improvement Month” in Wisconsin to increase public awareness of the importance of adults receiving vaccines against shingles, and to promote outreach and education efforts concerning adult vaccination; and, be it further

AJR113,3,13 Resolved, That the Department of Health Services is encouraged to promote Shingles Awareness and Improvement Month, including urging health care practitioners to discuss vaccines for shingles with adult patients and adopting appropriate programs and initiatives to raise public awareness of the importance of adult vaccination; and, be it further

AJR113,3,16 Resolved, That the Department of Health Services is encouraged to distribute educational resources on shingles and shingles vaccination, to educate the residents of Wisconsin that shingles is a vaccine-preventable diseases.

AJR113,3,17 (End)