KEYWORDS:
Partnerships, innovative programs, adolescent, project planning

BACKGROUND:
Immunization is a lifelong process necessary for all individuals. Adolescents are a population at great risk for a number of vaccine-preventable diseases including hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), tetanus-diphtheria (Td), varicella, and meningococcal meningitis. However, the need for adolescent immunization is often overlooked due to the tremendous concern for infant, childhood, and adult immunization. Despite new legislation requiring certain immunizations, a statewide cohort of adolescents remains unprotected. To address this problem, Project Immunize Virginia (PIV) initiated a new adolescent campaign, Vaccinate Before you Graduate.

OBJECTIVE:
The Vaccinate Before you Graduate campaign is focused on raising awareness about the importance of adolescent immunization and increasing immunization coverage among Virginia adolescents.

METHOD:
PIV members designed and constructed adolescent immunization resource tool kits as guides for immunization advocates to design programs and implement the campaign on the local level. The resource kits included materials such as strategies to promote the campaign, tips for using the media, sample letters and brochures, and a list of suggested partners. Once completed, the kits were distributed among our PIV partners to deliver to key immunization advocates in the community.

RESULT:
Initially, 120 kits were distributed among PIV partners during the summer of 2002. Subsequently, 80 more kits have been distributed upon request; 25 of those were from immunization advocates located outside of Virginia. Initial feedback from PIV partners has been very positive and included constructive suggestions to improve the campaign and content of the resource kits.

CONCLUSION:
Dedicating a campaign to this particular population has been very successful in highlighting the need for adolescent immunization as well as motivating other immunization advocates to take a stronger role in adolescent health.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Attendees will recognize the need for an adolescent campaign and the essential role of partnership to the success of health programs.