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Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 2:05 PM
39

State Immunization Laws/Regulations in Long-Term Care Facilities

Laura Ours1, Barbara H. Bardenheier2, and Raymond Strikas1. (1) National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E52, Atlanta, GA, USA, (2) NIP/ISD/HSREB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, NE, MS-E52, Atlanta, GA, USA


BACKGROUND:
Healthy People 2010 objectives include a 90% immunization rate for influenza and pneumococcal vaccination for residents of long term care facilities. Immunization laws for children entering school have been effective in increasing immunization coverage. It is not known how effective laws may be in increasing vaccinations among adults. Twenty-seven states have laws or regulations pertaining to immunization in long-term care facilities. We determined parameters of these laws and are examining their impact on immunization coverage in these states' facilities.

OBJECTIVE:
To determine (1) state law/regulation compliance with Medicare/Medicaid Conditions of Participation (MMCoP) and (2) degree of compliance of long-term care facilities with state immunization laws/regulations.

METHOD:
Data were abstracted from George Washington University's report that outlined immunization requirements for residents of long-term care facilities. Laws were compared to MMCoP, whose criteria include: assessing immunization status; providing vaccine education; implementing methods for refusing vaccines; providing vaccines to eligible persons; adhering to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices standards; and maintaining documentation. States that have laws/regulations will be surveyed in January 2005 to determine if an increase in vaccination coverage rates for long-term care facilities, after implementation of laws/regulations, exists.

RESULT:
Of the 27 states with laws/regulations, only five were in full compliance with MMCoP criteria. The remaining states varied in how influenza and pneumococcal vaccine are administered and received as well as how states address residents' right to refuse vaccinations. Results of the January 2005 survey will be presented to illustrate what changes in immunization coverage rates occurred before and after implementation of state laws/regulations.

CONCLUSION:
Assessing coverage before and after the implementation of laws/regulations will help define their effectiveness as a tool to reach the 2010 objectives.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
To illustrate the impact laws/regulations have on immunization coverage rates of residents in long-term care facilities.

See more of Adult Immunization Track Workshop: Immunization Laws, Regulations, and Other Predictors of Influenza and Pneumococcal Immunization among Nursing Home Residents in the U.S.
See more of The 39th National Immunization Conference (NIC)