Increasing Immunization Rates Through the Immunization Neighborhood Recognizing School-Located Immunization Programs

Abstract

Vaccines are considered one of the top 10 public health achievements in the United States; however, coverage rates for many of the recommended child and adolescent vaccines fall short of Healthy People 2020 goals. The vaccine delivery infrastructure in our country might be the most important limiting factor in achieving the vaccine uptake targets. Renewing the focus on schools for both vaccine delivery and vaccine promotion has the potential to augment other emerging alternate vaccination sites within the immunization neighborhood. School nurses are leading the way, and three national award winners are recognized for their immunization programming efforts. All school nurses can be immunization champions, advocating for the role of schools as key sites to promote the importance of vaccines in protecting the health and ensuring academic success of the students they serve.

Overcoming Challenges to Childhood Immunizations Status

“…48 We recommend using alternate sites and expanding the immunization neighborhood. 49 An important component of the success of this method is access to immunization records and the ability to update these in real time. Alternate sites should have access to up-to-date immunization information and also be required to update the child's immunization information at the time of delivery of the vaccine.…”

Responding to the Vaccine Confidence Crisis

“…The school and community populations’ protection against VPD was increased. Bobo (2014) outlines strategies for deployment of SLVC that include garnering administrative support, starting small, utilizing multiple communication methods in multiple languages across varied social media platforms, providing vaccine education, defining the parental consent process, determining which time of day best meets your community needs, and collaborating with partners to address funding issues.…”

School-located vaccination for adolescents: Past, present, and future and implications for HPV vaccine delivery

“…57 At this time, more organizations are supporting the concept of SLV to help increase adolescent immunization rates in this country. The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) supports SLV, 58,59 and a summit meeting that include NASN, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) conducted in November, 2010 voiced support for the development of a sustainable approach to SLV, 60 the Institute of Medicine supports the use of alternative sites as needed for adolescent immunization, 61 the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine 62 and the President's Cancer Panel 63 have all supported the use of alternative venues for immunization to maximize immunization rates for vaccines among adolescents. SLV is a concept that the evidence indicates can work.…”