Sapna Dharkar-Surber
1,
K. Michael Peddecord2, Kathleen W. Gustafson
3, Suzi Bouveron
4, and Jackie K. Workman
3. (1) San Diego Immunization Partnership, UC San Diego, County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, PO Box 85222, Mail Stop P511B, 3851 Rosecrans Street, San Diego, CA, USA, (2) Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive MC - 4161, San Diego, CA, USA, (3) San Diego County Immunization Program, County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, PO Box 85222, Mail Stop P511B, 3851 Rosecrans Street, San Diego, CA, USA, (4) Information and Education Section, State of California, Department of Health Services, Immunization Branch, 2151 Berkeley Way, #712, Berkeley, CA, USA
BACKGROUND:
The Baby Track Program is a hospital-based volunteer program designed to perform two important functions. First, the program educates new parents about immunizations and the importance of adhering to the immunization schedule. Second, the Baby Track Program serves to remind new parents of their newborn's immunization schedule. Initially, hospital volunteers enroll new parents into the Baby Track Program and provide information regarding their child's immunization schedule. Following enrollment, volunteers make reminder calls and/or send postcards at three, five and seven months post delivery to encourage the parents to keep the child on schedule and to remind them of upcoming vaccinations.
OBJECTIVE:
1. Assess the health education method at each of the selected participating Baby Track hospitals in San Diego County.
2. Determine whether providing parents educational materials and regular reminders increased immunization schedule adherence.
METHOD:
Using the San Diego Web-Based Registry, we measured the immunization rates associated with each program and used these results as a marker of schedule compliance and program effectiveness. A comparative cohort was obtained from the San Diego Birth Registry of children who were not enrolled in the Baby Track program.
RESULT:
Data analysis is currently underway. Based on results, a composite program will be developed based on best practices. The program will be suggested for implementation at all San Diego County Baby Track participant hospitals.
CONCLUSION:
We hypothesize that participants in the Baby Track program will have a higher adherence to the childhood immunization schedule compared to patients who did not participate in the program. To test this hypothesis we evaluated the effectiveness of three San Diego County Baby Track Programs.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. Describe the method of outreach performed at selected participating hospitals.
2. Review discrepancies in immunization rates and comparison with unenrolled cohort to understand basis for suggested composite program.
See more of Health Communications Track Workshop: New Parents Need to Know It: Immunization Works!
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Recorded presentation