Community intervention to improve adolescent immunizations rates

January 01, 0001

Community intervention to improve adolescent immunizations rates

These US investigators conducted a randomized trial to assess the impact of a tiered patient immunization navigator intervention (immunization tracking, reminder/recall, and outreach) on improving immunization and preventive care visit rates in urban adolescents aged 11-15 years. They compared the intervention to usual practice in 8 primary care practices with a 7546 adolescents. Immunization navigators at each practice implemented a tiered protocol: immunization tracking, telephone or mail reminder/recall, and home visits if participants remained unimmunized or behind on preventive care visits.

They found: "The intervention and control groups were similar at baseline for demographics (mean age, 13.5 years; 63% black, 14% white, and 23% Hispanic adolescents; and 74% receiving Medicaid), immunization rates, and preventive care visit rates. Immunization rates at the end of the study were 44.7% for the intervention group and 32.4% for the control group (; preventive care visit rates were 68.0% for the intervention group and 55.2% for the control group. Findings were similar across practices, sexes, ages, and insurance providers. The number needed to treat for immunizations and preventive care visits was 9. The intervention cost was $3.81 per adolescent per month; the cost per additional adolescent fully vaccinated was $465, and the cost per additional adolescent receiving a preventive care visit was $417."

The authors concluded: "A tiered tracking, reminder/recall, and outreach intervention improved immunization and preventive care visit rates in urban adolescents."

If the costs were estimated as cost per infection prevented they would be much higher.

For the full abstract, click here.

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 165(6):547-553, June 2011 © 2011 to the American Medical Associations
Effectiveness of a Citywide Patient Immunization Navigator Program on Improving Adolescent Immunizations and Preventive Care Visit Rates. Peter G. Szilagyi, Sharon G. Humiston, Sarah Gallivan, Christina Albertin, Martha Sandler, Aaron Blumkin. Correspondence to Dr. Szilagyi: [email protected]

Category: HSR. Health Services Research. Keywords: adolescents, immunizations, preventive care visit, patient navigators, randomized controlled trial, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 21 June 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.