Influenza is a serious, preventable disease for older people. Vaccination saves lives and reduces healthcare costs. The UK should be vaccinating 85% of risk groups by 2010. The uptake of vaccination is influenced by four factors: the socioeconomic status of patients; the system of vaccination; vaccine mistrust and fear of side-effects; and health beliefs. An effective vaccination programme needs to target and be sensitive to the particular needs of older people. It should include a combination of strategies to promote vaccination (flyers, personal invitations; doctor's recommendation); acknowledgement of lay beliefs; special clinics organized around older people; and special arrangements for housebound older people and those living in care homes.
Historically, nurses have made a significant contribution to the health of children. To date, few attempts have been made to conceptualize the nature of that contribution. This article describes a scoping exercise undertaken to provide a conceptual basis for examining the contribution of nurses to child health and child health services. Three approaches were utilized: strategic topic-focused literature reviews (asthma, cancer, disadvantaged families, minor ailments, school health, sick neonates, teenage pregnancy, children with complex needs, children in need of protection or looked-after, troubled schoolchildren), stakeholder conferences and an expert panel. The contribution of nurses to child health and child health services was found to be broad-ranging and diffuse. The contribution is expressed in four integrated dimensions: assessment, health promotion, clinical care and health care organization. The conceptual models detailed in the scoping exercise provide a platform for future inquiry.
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