A Campaign to Improve Seasonal Influenza Immunization Compliance in a University Nursing Health and Wellness Clinic: A Case Study

Abstract

Seasonal influenza can result in enormous physical and economic burdens. Healthy People 2020 report that substantially fewer than the recommended 70% in most age groups actually receive the immunization (Bekkat-Berkani & Romano-Massotti, 2018). The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the WTAMU Nursing Health and Wellness Clinic seasonal flu campaign was considered effective and advantageous to those who received it on campus. A brief survey was developed for distribution to those who received the influenza immunization during the 2018-2019 flu seasons. Making the flu vaccine convenient and inexpensive/free has been an effective mechanism to improve immunization acceptance in our community. Response rate for the survey was 61% or 106 individuals with 44%, reporting that they would not have sought out the seasonal flu immunization had it not been made available on the university campus. More importantly, when the 106 participants were asked where on campus they received their immunization, only 41% physically came to the nursing clinic, while 59% were provided the vaccine in their office or departmental workplace. Of those individuals receiving immunization in their office or workplace, 38% reported that had it not been provided in this setting, they would not have gone to the nursing clinic or elsewhere to be immunized. Of those responding to the survey, 61% reported having received an influenza immunization during the 2017-2018 seasons. The remaining 39% of respondents either could not recall or denied receiving the vaccine. However, when asked about their intentions to be immunized in the 2019-2020 season, 90% of the participants related positive intention to receive the seasonal flu immunization.