Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 6, 2026
A Luciferase-fluorescent Reporter Influenza Virus for Live Imaging and Quantification of Viral Infection
Published on: August 14, 2019
Statewide pandemic influenza vaccination reminders for children with chronic conditions
Kevin J Dombkowski1, Anne E Cowan, Rachel C Potter
1Kevin J. Dombkowski, Anne E. Cowan, Shiming Dong, and Sarah J. Clark are with the Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Rachel C. Potter is with the Michigan Department of Community Health, Lansing. Maureen Kolasa is with the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Insights
Targeting high-risk children with influenza vaccine reminders via an immunization information system (IIS) during a pandemic increased vaccination rates. This strategy effectively reached unvaccinated children, improving public health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Pandemic influenza necessitates targeted vaccination strategies for high-risk populations.
- Immunization Information Systems (IIS) offer a potential tool for identifying and reaching these groups.
- Previous efforts to optimize vaccine delivery during pandemics require evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a statewide IIS in delivering influenza vaccine reminders to high-risk children during a pandemic.
- To evaluate the impact of targeted reminders on vaccination rates among children enrolled in Medicaid.
- To inform future public health initiatives for pandemic influenza vaccination.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Michigan's IIS to identify 202,133 high-risk children (≥1 chronic condition), aged 6 months to 18 years, unvaccinated for pH1N1 and enrolled in Medicaid.
- Mailed reminders on December 7, 2009, to eligible high-risk children.
- Retrospectively compared influenza vaccination rates between high-risk children who received reminders, those with undeliverable reminders, and a control group without chronic conditions.
Main Results:
- Out of 202,133 identified children, 53,516 were ineligible for reminders.
- Vaccination rates were significantly higher among 142,383 high-risk children who received reminders compared to 6,234 high-risk children with undeliverable reminders.
- The vaccination rate for high-risk children receiving reminders also surpassed that of the control group (142,383 children without chronic conditions).
Conclusions:
- Midseason reminders to parents of unvaccinated, high-risk children with Medicaid enrollment were associated with increased pH1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccination.
- Strategies to expand targeting of high-risk groups and enhance IIS reporting are recommended for future pandemic events.
- IIS can be a valuable tool for improving vaccine uptake in vulnerable pediatric populations during public health emergencies.
Objectives:
We evaluated the use of a statewide immunization information system (IIS) to target influenza vaccine reminders to high-risk children during a pandemic.
Methods:
We used Michigan's IIS to identify high-risk children (i.e., those with ≥ 1 chronic condition) aged 6 months to 18 years with no record of pH1N1 vaccination among children currently or previously enrolled in Medicaid (n = 202,133). Reminders were mailed on December 7, 2009. We retrospectively assessed children's eligibility for evaluation and compared influenza vaccination rates across 3 groups on the basis of their high-risk and reminder status.
Results:
Of the children sent reminders, 53,516 were ineligible. Of the remaining 148,617 children, vaccination rates were higher among the 142,383 high-risk children receiving reminders than among the 6234 high-risk children with undeliverable reminders and the 142,383 control group children without chronic conditions who were not sent reminders.
Conclusions:
Midseason reminders to parents of unvaccinated high-risk children with current or past Medicaid enrollment were associated with increased pH1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccination rates. Future initiatives should consider strategies to expand targeting of high-risk groups and improve IIS reporting during pandemic events.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Influenza
01:51Vaccinations
01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed....
01:30Preventive Healthcare Services
01:28Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence
01:30Asthma-IV: Nursing Management
First, in...