Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of this presentation participants will be able to:
(1) Identify the Healthy People 2010 immunization objectives
(2) Identify impact of retrospective immunization survey in the community
(3) Develop strategies to target areas of need areas in their community
(4) Create an evaluation tool



Background:
Vaccine preventable diseases are at an all time low but clusters of illness still exist and could easily spread since the Healthy People 2010 Goal of ninety percent by age two is still not met. The reasons this goal continues to be unmet include poverty, lack of health insurance; providers do not utilize accelerated immunization schedules or reminder recall strategies, and misinformation about the effects of immunization on the health of children. By identifying areas of need, strategies can be created to target parents and healthcare providers.


Setting:
A retrospective survey could be completed in any geographic area not just city, county, or regional locations, and the population screened could come from schools, daycares, or physicians offices.


Population:
Local Health Departments, Immunization Coalitions, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders


Project Description:
Public health nurses collected immunization records of first grade students in the all the participating schools in the county and entered the data into WinCASA. Children who were noncompliant by age two were, by address, mapped on Geographic Information System in order to find the areas of need. This dot map will then be compared with other concerns in the county that were identified with the Summit County Quality of Life project such as poverty.


Results/Lessons Learned:
The results of the study validated the empirical evidence of pocket of need areas. Priorities identified for the project were adequate sampling and allocating the time to project. Bringing the key stakeholders on board prior to project initiation was essential to obtaining the information needed.