Increasing adolescent immunization by webinar: a brief provider intervention at federally qualified health centers

Objective

To evaluate a brief intervention to increase provision of adolescent vaccines at health centers that reach the medically underserved.

Method

In April 2010, clinical coordinators from 17 federally qualified health centers (serving 7827 patients ages 12–17) participated in a competition to increase uptake of recommended adolescent vaccines: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis booster; meningococcal conjugate; and human papillomavirus. Vaccination coordinators attended a webinar that reviewed provider-based changes recommended by the CDC's Assessment, Feedback, Incentives, and eXchanges (AFIX) program and received weekly follow-up emails. Data on vaccine uptake came from the North Carolina Immunization Registry.

Results

Uptake of targeted adolescent vaccines increased during the one-month intervention period by about 1–2% (all p < .05). These small but reliable increases were greater than those observed for non-targeted vaccines (measles, mumps, and rubella; hepatitis B; and varicella).

Conclusion

This AFIX webinar led to small increases in provision of targeted adolescent vaccines over a one-month period. Similar, sustainable programs at healthcare facilities, including federally qualified health centers that function as safety net providers for medically underserved populations could help reach populations with great need.