Tameika L. Mapp, NIP/ESD, CDC, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E61, Atlanta, GA, USA, Christine G. Casey, National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E61, Atlanta, GA, USA, and Scott R. Campbell, Immunization Safety Branch, Epidemiology and Surveillance Division, CDC, 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop E-61, Atlanta, GA, USA.
BACKGROUND:
Immunizations are a cost-effective public health intervention, but no vaccine is perfectly safe. Lower incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases due to broad coverage has contributed to the shift of public attention from disease outcome to vaccine adverse events (VAE). VAEs are rare and many are temporally, not causally, related to vaccination. Most clinicians are not adequately prepared to recognize, evaluate, diagnose and treat VAEs. To assist providers and improve competency in this clinical arena, the CDC established the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) Network in 2001. CISA is comprised of a group of scientist-clinicians to improve vaccine safety knowledge and clinical recommendations on an individual “patient” level.
OBJECTIVE:
We evaluated an informational CISA presentation to determine if the project's objectives were clearly stated and understood by health professionals attending a vaccine safety seminar at the 2004 National Immunization Conference. We assessed the hypothetical question if audience members reported a willingness to prospectively refer cases to the CISA network for clinical vaccine safety consultation.
METHOD:
An anonymous survey was distributed to attendees of the CISA breakout session at the conference. All respondents placed their completed survey in a box as they exited the session. The survey inquired about the level of interest in the CISA referral network.
RESULT:
A head count of the breakout session revealed approximately 100 attendees. There were 62 surveys returned, thus yielding a response rate of approximately 62%. 70% of the respondents reported that CISA goals were clearly explained and they were “interested” in referring patients to CISA (included very interested, somewhat interested, and interested).
CONCLUSION:
CISA fills a gap in helping clinicians and other health professionals obtain clinical competence in vaccine safety knowledge and treatment
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
To better understand the need for clinical vaccine safety initiatives like CISA and assess the likelihood of future referrals.
Web Page:
www.vaccinesafety.org
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