Evaluation of Vaccination Reminder/Recall Systems for Adolescent Patients

Although patient reminder/recall systems have been shown to be effective at improving vaccination coverage levels for infants and younger children, little is known about the effectiveness of such systems for increasing immunization rates in adolescent populations. The process of reminder/recall in adolescents, and vaccination of adolescents overall, presents particular challenges. Adolescents are less likely to routinely access health care compared to younger children and adults. In addition, other obstacles such as lack of health insurance, missed opportunities for vaccination during health care visits, and the scattering of immunization records across multiple providers have posed major challenges in the vaccination of adolescents. Issues of parental consent for vaccination can also be problematic, given that adolescents may present for care without their parents accompanying them. These and other barriers to immunization may reduce the effectiveness of reminder/recall for adolescents. In the current research study, a study team with extensive experience in immunization delivery research will investigate the ability of pediatricians and family physicians in a number of different practice settings to implement a reminder/recall system for their adolescent patient populations. In addition, we will be able to examine the effectiveness of reminder/recall originating at public school-based health centers, an innovative strategy that has not previously been reported. Randomized controlled trials of reminder/recall for adolescents will be conducted at each type of site. The study team will track important process measures during reminder/recall including the percentage of the eligible population who actually received intervention; percentage with incorrect addresses; percentage with incorrect or disconnected phones; percentage actually up-to-date but incorrectly recalled; missed vaccination opportunities; and invalid doses of vaccines administered. In this way, we will be able to not only determine the degree to which reminder/recall was successful for adolescents, but also identify impediments to success, which will provide a foundation for future efforts. Our study will also investigate the cost of establishing and operating a reminder/recall system for adolescents in each type of clinical setting.

Major Hypotheses

• Reminder/recall of adolescents will result in an increased rate of receipt of immunizations in private settings of approximately 10 percentage points
• Reminder/recall will result in a greater rate of receipt of immunizations when patients in public settings have access to a school-based health center (SBHC) compared to when they do not have access to a SBHC
• Reminder/recall originating at SBHC sites will result in the highest efficacy of reminder/recall among all the types of clinical sites

Inclusion criteria

• children ages 11-18
• seen in practice in last 2 years
• not up-to-date on any or all shots (Tdap, HPV, meningococcal)
• parents agree to participate in Colorado Immunization and Information System registry

Exclusion criteria

• up-to-date on all vaccines
• under age 11 over age 18
• patients who have moved or gone elsewhere at each practice setting