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Increasing influenza vaccination adherence through voice mail
V O Leirer1, D G Morrow, G Pariante
1Decision Systems, Stanford, California.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|December 1, 1989
Summary
Low influenza vaccination adherence in the elderly is a concern. An inexpensive voice-mail system, TeleMinder, significantly increased vaccination rates when used alone or with other methods.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Public Health
- Health Communication
Background:
- Influenza and related deaths pose a significant threat, particularly to the elderly.
- Vaccination adherence rates in high-risk elderly populations remain suboptimal, often below 20%.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of an inexpensive voice-mail system (TeleMinder) in improving influenza vaccination adherence.
- To assess the impact of TeleMinder on low-adhering elderly individuals.
Main Methods:
- A study involving four groups of elderly participants was conducted.
- Group 1 received no intervention; Group 2 received voice-mail reminders; Group 3 received traditional announcements; Group 4 received both voice-mail and traditional announcements.
Main Results:
- Vaccination adherence rates were 1.5% (Group 1), 11.8% (Group 2), 7.4% (Group 3), and 37.5% (Group 4).
- Voice-mail intervention significantly boosted vaccination adherence compared to no intervention or traditional announcements alone.
- The combination of voice-mail and traditional announcements yielded the highest adherence rate.
Conclusions:
- Voice-mail systems offer a cost-effective strategy for enhancing influenza vaccination uptake in the elderly.
- Targeted voice-mail reminders can be a valuable tool in public health campaigns for high-risk populations.