A bi-state, metropolitan, school-based immunization campaign: lessons from the Kansas City experience

Through school-based immunization programs, large numbers of children can be vaccinated in a cost-effective manner. Information from successful programs can be valuable to communities, schools, or pediatric health care providers considering the implementation of a school-based immunization program. The purpose of this study was to identify factors considered key to the success of a large bi-state, metropolitan, multi-school district, school-based, hepatitis B immunization program.

Immunizations were offered to 14,865 sixth-grade students in 16 school districts at 123 public and private school buildings. Personnel from 6 health departments and numerous volunteers administered the vaccines. Twenty-two semistructured interviews were conducted with a representative sample of program participants from schools, health departments, and the coordinating immunization coalition. A qualitative, grounded theory analysis was performed using data from the interviews.

The following categories emerged and were considered important issues in the success of a school-based program: organization, time, obtaining consent, educational opportunity, school support, and student tracking.

School-based immunization programs can be successful, but they require a coordinated effort with school support to meet the challenges of obtaining consent and tracking students.