Scott Hamstra, White River Indian Hospital, White River, AZ, USA,
Kimiko Gosney, Immunization Program Office, Arizona State Department of Health Services, 150 N. 18th Ave., Suite 120, Phoenix, AZ, USA, John Parker, Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility, Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility, Chinle, AZ, USA, Michael Conklin, Arizona Department of Health Services, 150 N. 18th Ave, Phoenix, AZ, USA, and Amy V. Groom, IHS National Epi Program, Indian Health Service/CDC, 5300 Homestead RD. NE, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
BACKGROUND:
Monitoring immunization coverage of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population is challenging as people seek care from multiple sources. The Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities serving this population use the IHS immunization system to track immunization coverage, but this information is often missing in state immunization registries and is not shared between IHS facilities. Incomplete data within IHS and in state registries make it difficult to monitor immunization coverage for the AI/AN population.
OBJECTIVE:
In Arizona, 7% of the 1-2 year old population is AI/AN. While the Arizona State Immunization Information System (ASIIS) is a population-based registry, data from the IHS immunization system is not typically captured. In order to improve data on AI/AN children, the state of Arizona and IHS are exchanging data using CDC standards for HL7 interfaces.
METHOD:
Using ASIIS and IHS data, 4:3:1:3:3 immunization coverage for children 19 – 35 months at 2 IHS facilities were compared before and after exchange of data between ASIIS and IHS. In addition, using ASIIS, coverage for the county in Arizona where the 2 IHS facilities are located was examined.
RESULT:
Preliminary analysis of the data in ASIIS demonstrated an increase in immunization coverage. Prior to the exchange of data with IHS, coverage levels for facility A were 67% and 87% for facility B. After inclusion of the IHS data in ASIIS, coverage increased to 71% and 91%, respectively. In addition, coverage for the county in which the 2 IHS facilities are located increased from 8% to 38%.
CONCLUSION:
Working with IHS and tribal facilities to exchange immunization date will provide more complete information for states and allow them to assess coverage in the AI/AN population. It will also provide more complete information to IHS and tribal facilities, enhancing their ability to improve immunization coverage among their patients.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Demonstrate the value of sharing information among previously isolated databases.
See more of Immunization Registries Track Workshop: Immunization Data Analysis with the Immunization Registry Sentinel Site Project
See more of The 39th National Immunization Conference (NIC)
Presentation