A bi-state, metropolitan, school-based immunization campaign: lessons from the Kansas City experience.
BACKGROUND
Through school-based immunization programs, large numbers of children can be vaccinated in a cost-effective manner. Information from successful programs can be valuable to communities, schools, or pediatric health care providers considering the implementation of a school-based immunization program. The purpose of this study was to identify factors considered key to the success of a large bi-state, metropolitan, multi-school district, school-based, hepatitis B immunization program.


METHODS
Immunizations were offered to 14,865 sixth-grade students in 16 school districts at 123 public and private school buildings. Personnel from 6 health departments and numerous volunteers administered the vaccines. Twenty-two semistructured interviews were conducted with a representative sample of program participants from schools, health departments, and the coordinating immunization coalition. A qualitative, grounded theory analysis was performed using data from the interviews.


RESULTS
The following categories emerged and were considered important issues in the success of a school-based program: organization, time, obtaining consent, educational opportunity, school support, and student tracking.


CONCLUSIONS
School-based immunization programs can be successful, but they require a coordinated effort with school support to meet the challenges of obtaining consent and tracking students.
Wilson
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School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 221 Health Science Building, 2220 Holmes St., Kansas City, MO 64108-2676, USA.
D002648:Child; D006266:Health Education; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007258:Informed Consent; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007857:Leadership; D008923:Missouri; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*