Educational content and the effectiveness of influenza vaccination reminders.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if a mailed patient education brochure (addressing demonstrated reasons for vaccination refusal) would result in a higher rate of influenza vaccination than a mailed postcard reminder without educational content.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled trial.


METHODS
Urban, predominantly African-American, low-income community.


METHODS
There were 740 community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years and older in the study.


METHODS
Receipt of influenza vaccination and beliefs about influenza and influenza vaccination were measured by telephone survey self-report.


RESULTS
We successfully contacted 202 individuals (69.9%) who received the postcard reminder and 229 individuals (71.1%) who received the educational brochure. People receiving the educational brochure were more likely to report influenza vaccination during the previous vaccination season than those who received the postcard reminder (66.4% vs 56.9%, p =.04). They also reported more interest in influenza vaccination in the coming year. (66.5% vs 57.1%, p =.05).


CONCLUSIONS
A mailed educational brochure is more effective than a simple reminder in increasing influenza vaccination rates among inner-city, elderly patients.
Armstrong
K
K
Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19118, USA.
Berlin
M
M
Schwartz
J S
JS
Propert
K
K
Ubel
P A
PA
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017010:Reminder Systems; D014611:Vaccination
D007252:Influenza Vaccines