Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to improve vaccination coverage in children, adolescents, and adults11The names and affiliations of the Task Force members are listed on page v of this supplement and at http://www.thecommunityguide.org22Some of this material was published previously in: Shefer A, Briss P, Rodewald L, et al. Improving immunization coverage rates: an evidence-based review of the literature. Epidemiol Rev 1999;20:96–142.

Abstract

Background: This paper presents the results of systematic reviews of the effectiveness, applicability, other effects, economic impact, and barriers to use of selected population-based interventions intended to improve vaccination coverage. The related systematic reviews are linked by a common conceptual approach. These reviews form the basis for recommendations by the Task Force on Community Preventive Services (the Task Force) regarding the use of these selected interventions. The Task Force recommendations are presented on pp. 92-96 of this issue. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH):vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccination coverage, community health services, decision-making, evidence-based medicine, systematic reviews, population-based interventions, practice guidelines, preventive health services, public health practice, task force. Introduction V accine-preventable diseases among children, adolescents, and adults represent major continuing causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. During the latter half of the twentieth century, the success of childhood vaccination programs in the United States has led to a Ͼ95 % decline in most vaccine-preventable diseases of childhood. However, Ͼ400,000 cases of illness and Ͼ30,000 deaths caused by vaccine-preventable diseases still occur each year 1 (CDC unpublished data).Diphtheria, invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease, measles, poliomyelitis, rubella, tetanus, mumps, varicella, and pertussis are typically referred to as vaccine-preventable diseases of childhood. Vaccinations primarily indicated for adults include influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B. However, during the 1990s, the distinction between childhood and adult vaccine-preventable diseases became less clear. Many childhood vaccine-preventable infections, including measles and pertussis, are found increasingly among adults, 2,3 and hepatitis B vaccinations are now routinely recommended for infants and adolescents. Table 1 outlines universally recommended (i.e., vaccinations recommended for most or all persons in certain age groups) vaccinations for children, adolescents, and older adults.In children, Ͼ50,000 cases of varicella occur each year, making that disease the most common vaccinepreventable disease among children 4 ; in adults, influenza, pneumococcal disease, and hepatitis B are all still common vaccine-preventable diseases, with hundreds of thousands of cases occurring each year.5 Mortality attributable to vaccine-preventable diseases is still substantial. Each year, approximately 500 persons in the United States die of childhood vaccine-preventable diseases, and Ͼ30,000 adults die of influenza, pneumococcal infections, and hepatitis B.1 Influenza, which accounts for an average of 20,000 deaths/year, is usually the largest killer. 5The effectiveness of universally recommended vaccinations in preventing disease for adults, adolescents, and children is well-established. 6 -14 In addition to protecting individuals from diseases passed from person to person contact, vaccinat...

Effectiveness and acceptability of parental financial incentives and quasi-mandatory schemes for increasing uptake of vaccinations in preschool children: systematic review, qualitative study and discrete choice experiment

“…Briss et al 16 identify incentives as interventions that increase demand for vaccinations. These are likely to include both rewards for immunising and penalties for not immunising.…”

“…As such, and following Briss et al, 16 we restrict our definition of incentives to interventions that increase demand for vaccinations by offering contingent rewards with real material value (whether or not these are offered in the form of cash), but widen this to include interventions imposing contingent penalties with real material value (again, whether or not these are imposed in the form of cash).…”

Text Message Reminders for Second Dose of Influenza Vaccine: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…9 This leaves many unprotected when the virus begins circulating. 12 Although reminder-recall systems that notify families that their child needs a vaccine are widely recommended, 13,14 traditional strategies implemented via mail or telephone have had limited to no efficacy in urban, low-income, and minority populations [15][16][17] who are also at high risk for undervaccination. 18,19 We recently demonstrated the effectiveness of using text message reminders for first influenza vaccine doses in this population.…”

Community-Centered Education Improves Vaccination Rates in Children From Low-Income Households

“…2 Multicomponent interventions aimed at increasing immunization coverage rates are more successful than single interventions, perhaps with the exception of patient reminder and recall systems. [3][4][5] The most successful interventions described allow families to explain their health concerns, address perceived barriers to vaccination, improve community awareness of services already available, and engage health care outreach liaisons as a bridge to medical providers. 3,6 Similarly, studies have shown the importance in identifying communitywide partners for collaborative efforts in improving a program' s impact.…”

“…[3][4][5] The most successful interventions described allow families to explain their health concerns, address perceived barriers to vaccination, improve community awareness of services already available, and engage health care outreach liaisons as a bridge to medical providers. 3,6 Similarly, studies have shown the importance in identifying communitywide partners for collaborative efforts in improving a program' s impact. 7,8 We collaborated with our local health department and our largest communitybased organization (CBO), the Salvation Army, to reach resource-poor families and their children, address individual vaccine concerns, and educate regarding vaccine importance and safety in an effort to increase immunization coverage rates in this high-risk population.…”