Centralized IIS-Based Reminder Recall to Increase Influenza Vaccination Rates in New York State - Second Trial in New York State

Annual epidemics of influenza A and B cause substantial morbidity and mortality in the US with high rates of hospitalizations, emergency department visits, outpatient visits, and medical costs. Epidemics cause up to 40,000 deaths/year (mostly elderly) and extensive morbidity among children who play a key role in instigating and expanding epidemics. In addition, concerns about pandemic influenza heighten the importance of new mechanisms to rapidly inform the population about influenza and direct efforts for rapid vaccine delivery.

Since 2010, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended influenza vaccination for all children >6 months of age. However, vaccination rates remain very low. For the 2012-2013 season, only 56% of children 2-17years were vaccinated. Modeling studies suggest that as many as 19 million cases of influenza could be prevented if child vaccination rates were raised to 70% nationally.

The most effective strategy recommended by CDC and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services for improving childhood influenza vaccination rates is reminder/recall (R/R), sent by phone or mail, notifying parents of the need to vaccinate their child. We and others have shown that R/R can improve influenza vaccination rates by up to 20%. However, <16% of practices use R/R; barriers are practice costs, insufficient staff time and expertise, and lack of predictability regarding receipt of vaccine supplies.

Statewide immunization information systems (IISs) now exist in all states to track childhood vaccinations, but they have not been used for influenza vaccine R/R because of lack of evidence for their effectiveness and a lack of a template for IIS-based R/R. The investigators have united two leading immunization research groups (Denver, CO and Rochester (lead by personnel at UCLA), NY) to assess the impact of centralized IIS-based influenza vaccine R/R and to evaluate the effect of three types of R/R (autodialer, text message and mail R/R) over usual care. The investigators will also develop tools to aid other states in creating efficient IIS R/R systems for seasonal and possible pandemic influenza outbreaks.

For this second R/R trial in New York State, the intent is to evaluate the impact of reminder recalls, in the form of 1) autodialers 2) text messages and 3) postcards versus the standard of care control group, specifically in relation to raising influenza vaccination rates among children 6m-17 years of age.