Monday, 28 October 2002 - 2:40 PM
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This presentation is part of B4: Protect: Disease Surveillance — Part II

The role of an immunization registry during a mass immunization campaign: Lessons from the January 2002, District of Columbia immunization initiative for public school students

Karyn L. Berry1, Michael S.A. Richardson1, Rosie McLaren1, James Thomas2, and Cherie Thomas2. (1) District of Columbia Department of Health, 825 North Capitol St., N.E, Washington DC, DC, USA, (2) Trey Industries, Inc, 1131 Spring Rd., N.W, Washington DC, DC, USA


KEYWORDS:
immunization registry * mass vaccination * vaccine compliance* school aged children

BACKGROUND:
Immunization registries are generally confidential, population-based computerized tools that collect and store vaccination data. Traditionally, these registries have focused on children ages 0-5 years. Throughout January 2002, the District of Columbia (DC) Department of Health, Immunization Program underwent an exercise in which the Central Immunization Registry was used to assess and calculate the current vaccination status of all District of Columbia Public School students in preschool through twelfth grade.

OBJECTIVE(S):
To examine the role of an immunization registry in monitoring immunization status in a known population.

METHOD(S):
At the beginning of the 2001-2002 school year, school enrollment data was entered into the DC Immunization Registry (n=66,312 students) and cross-matched with current immunization registry data (n=278,862). School vaccination records were then manually reviewed and compared to the Registry vaccination records by Immunization Program staff and school nurses, and any additional data was entered into the Immunization Registry.

RESULT(S):
The Registry identified more than 20,000 school children not in compliance with school vaccination requirements. At the conclusion of this 30-day campaign, 10,205 clients were assessed and/or immunized at a DC Department of Health clinic site; 64,919 vaccine doses and 2,983 chickenpox histories were entered into the Registry; and the Registry was accessed by Immunization Program staff, healthcare providers and school nurses 54,250 times during January 2002.

CONCLUSIONS(S):
Immunization registries are useful tools during a mass community vaccination campaign.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
To understand the role of an immunization registry in assessing vaccine status.

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