Research:

Promoting Influenza Vaccination in Students with Chronic Conditions

Students with chronic health conditions often benefit from receiving additional immunizations such as influenza vaccination. These immunizations are often missed when school age children with chronic health conditions (SACCHCs) lack a primary care provider and/or only receive their care at specialty clinics which may fail to address immunization needs. Although the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends influenza immunization for children with some chronic health conditions. However, the number of these SACCHCs who receive this immunization remains low (Fiore, et al., 2007; Daley, Barrow, Pearson, Crane, Gao, Stevenson, et al., 2004). School health services are synonymous with school nurses (SNs) as the overwhelming majority of comprehensive school health programs in the United States are nurse-managed (Schainker, O’Brien, Fox & Bauchner, 2005). School-based interventions, promoted by school nurses (SNs), can be disseminated as efficient, low-cost, population-based approaches designed to address public health issues (Mauriello, Driskell, Sherman, Johnson, Prochaska & Prochaska, 2006). The overall goal of this project was to use a simple, low-cost SN-initiated intervention to increase the rate of influenza vaccination among school age children with chronic health conditions (SACCHCs). Other objectives were to refine methodologies appropriate for school-based health studies conducted by practice-based research networks; educate SNs regarding immunization recommendations for specific SACCHCs; identify SACCHCs needing immunizations recommended for their health conditions; and collaborate with families to ensure that SACCHCs receive recommended immunizations.

Investigators: Judi Vessey, PhD, MBA, FAAN, Principal Investigator, Judy Aubin, RN, BSN, MEd, NCSN, Principal Investigator, Mary Jane O'Brien, RN, BSN, MSN, CPNP, NCSN, Co-Investigator

Study Date(s): Sep 2005 - Aug 2006

Study Location(s): Multiple

Funded by: National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and the National Association of School Nurses