Collaborative Efforts to Increase Flu Vaccination

Summary

Beginning with the 2009-2010 season, influenza vaccine is universally recommended for children age 6 months to 18 years old, placing extra burden on health care providers across the U.S. The focus of this study is to develop new strategies and implement existing evidence-based strategies to enhance influenza immunization in these children. The intervention will involve collaboration from different types of primary care providers, the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS), public health departments and visiting nursing services (VNA). It will be designed and implemented by those involved with delivery with a focus on sustainability after the completion of the study. Parental input will be gathered during the planning year through focus groups to assist in developing the intervention. Qualitative assessments and examination of processes during the first year of implementation will guide modifications during the second implementation year in order to assure sustainability. Primary outcome measures in the intervention and control groups: 1) increase in the rate of receipt of ≥1 influenza vaccine during the post-intervention year compared to the pre-intervention year among children 6 mo.-18 yr. and 2) increase in the rate of children 6 mo.-18 yr. who were fully immunized (received all required influenza injections) during the season. 3) measure outcomes by age group (6 mo.-5 yr., 6-8 yr., 9-12 yr., 13-18 yr.) and types of clinical sites (urban Peds, urban FM, rural FM)

Conditions

• Influenza
• Collaboration

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Private/public collaboration to increase flu vaccination

Intervention practices will develop office-based interventions including methods to identify high-risk patients within their practices and methods of maximizing the immunization of these children within the practice, use of patient reminders, after-hours influenza clinics, walk-in provision of influenza vaccine and increased focus on education regarding the need for immunization. The practices will also collaborate with their county public health departments and visiting nursing associations to develop private-public collaborative interventions that may include large clinics for school-aged children for multiple practices and tracking of influenza supplies and redistribution of influenza vaccine between practices when supplies are delayed or inadequate.

OTHER

Usual care

This group will continue administering influenza vaccine to their patients in their practice as they normally do.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  collaborator FED

• University of Colorado, Denver

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Allison Kempe, MD, MPH · University of Colorado, Children's Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

6 Months

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2009-08-31

Primary Completion

2015-02-28

Completion

2015-03-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations