Sally Findley1, Martha Sanchez
2, Letty Guzman
3, Michelle Sajous
4, and Matilde Irigoyen
1. (1) Columbia University, 622 West 168th Street, VC 412, New York, USA, (2) Ctr Pop & Fam Health, Columbia University, 60 HAVEN B2, New York, USA, (3) Alianza Dominicana, 515 West 182 Street Rm. 150, New York, NY, USA, (4) Harlem Congregations of Community, 210 West 146 Street, New York, NY, USA
KEYWORDS:
Community-based organizations, outreach
BACKGROUND:
Immunization coverage rates in inner city minority communities remain below national goals. Despite programs to improve the delivery of vaccinations at inner city private physician offices, raising immunization rates will need changes in how families obtain immunizations.
OBJECTIVE(S):
To implement a training program to empower community health workers and case managers to integrate immunization promotion into their routine activities.
METHOD(S):
After reviewing their programs, a coalition of 14 community-based organizations identified the following 5 program areas, where to integrate immunization promotion: parenting/peer mentoring, baptism/parenting, childcare, health insurance or WIC enrollment, and housing/tenant associations. A five-part, bilingual training series was developed to teach outreach and immunization promotion skills to outreach workers in each of the identified program areas. We assessed training outcomes through evaluations, post-test scores, and recruitment productivity since program launch (August 2001).
RESULT(S):
365 participated in the training series, with 35% completing the basic 3-part series and 20% completing the entire series. At each agency an average of 3-24 outreach workers participated in the training sessions. 94% rated the training excellent/good. 65% could name all the vaccine-preventable diseases, 59% knew why multiple doses were needed, and 88% knew who updates the immunization card. 428 of the 608 parents approached to participate in the program consented to participate. 57% of parents were recruited through facilitated enrollment programs, 21% through childcare programs, 19% through parenting programs, and 3% through housing programs.
CONCLUSIONS(S):
Community social service organizations can integrate
immunization outreach into their regular program activities. After training, agency staff and trained volunteers are effective at recruiting parents to participate in a program to raise immunization coverage.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Integrating immunization card reading and tracking into the daily activities of community based organizations.
See more of Reaching Out to Spanish-Speaking Consumers
See more of The 36th National Immunization Conference
