The Effectiveness of Vaccine Day and Educational Interventions on Influenza Vaccine Coverage Among Health Care Workers at Long-Term Care Facilities

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 97; no. 4; pp. 684 - 690
• Main Authors: Kimura, Akiko C, Nguyen, Christine N, Higa, Jeffrey I, Hurwitz, Eric L, Vugia, Duc J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Am Public Health Assoc 01.04.2007; American Public Health Association; American Journal of Public Health 2007
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Attitudes; Biological and medical sciences; California; Committees; Education; Effectiveness studies; Employees; Female; Health care policy; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Personnel; Health services; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immunization; Immunization Programs; Infections; Infectious diseases; Influenza; Influenza Vaccines - therapeutic use; Intervention; Knowledge; Long term health care; Long-Term Care; Male; Medical personnel; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Prevention and actions; Preventive medicine; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Questionnaires; Recruitment; Research and Practice; Vaccines; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases; Workers; Workforce; Workplace; Human; Health staff; Health care staff; Vaccine; Care; Infection; Prevention; Immunoprophylaxis; Vaccination coverage; Health care facility; Education; Efficiency; Viral disease; Influenza; Public health; Long term care
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2005.082073

We examined barriers to influenza vaccination among long-term care facility (LTCF) health care workers in Southern California and developed simple, effective interventions to improve influenza vaccine coverage of these workers. In 2002, health care workers at LTCFs were surveyed regarding their knowledge and attitudes about influenza and the influenza vaccine. Results were used to develop 2 interventions, an educational campaign and Vaccine Day (a well-publicized day for free influenza vaccination of all employees at the worksite). Seventy facilities were recruited to participate in an intervention trial and randomly assigned to 4 study groups. The combination of Vaccine Day and an educational campaign was most effective in increasing vaccine coverage (53% coverage; prevalence ratio [PR]=1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.24, 1.71, compared with 27% coverage in the control group). Vaccine Day alone was also effective (46% coverage; PR= 1.41; 95% CI=1.17, 1.71). The educational campaign alone was not effective in improving coverage levels (34% coverage; PR=1.18; 95% CI=0.93, 1.50). Influenza vaccine coverage of LTCF health care workers can be improved by providing free vaccinations at the worksite with a well-publicized Vaccine Day.