Pneumococcal immunizations at flu clinics: The impact of community-wide outreach

This study examined the effectiveness of a community-wide outreach campaign to promote the use of pneumococcal vaccine at public flu immunization clin ics, and assessed whether this: intervention was more effective than simply making pneumococcal vaccination available at such clinics. In 1997, a comm unity-wide outreach campaign promoting pneumococcal and influenza immunizat ions was launched in a 17 zip code area of Dutchess County, NY. The campaig n was aimed at 7,961 Medicare beneficiaries urging them to obtain pneumococ cal immunization from local flu clinics. Medicate reimbursement data were u sed to assess the countywide pneumococcal vaccination rate, and to analyze differences between rates for beneficiaries in the target al ea and elsewhe re in the county. Between 1996 and 1997 there was a 94% increase in pneumoc occal vaccination billed to Medicare beneficiaries in Dutchess County. The 1997 annual rate of pneumococcal immunization in the target area reached 16 .3% versus 12.2% elsewhere in the county (p < 0.001), with an increase over the previous year of 8.7% and 5.6%, respectively. Nearly all of the increa se is accounted for by pneumococcal vaccination delivered at flu clinics. I t is possible to significantly increase the use of pneumococcal immunizatio n by linking its delivery to community-based flu clinics and by del eloping local outreach strategies. The outreach campaign has a significant additiv e effect over simply making PPV available at flu shot clinics. Additional c ommunity-wide outreach carl further improve pneumococcal immunization utili zation rates.