Achievement of healthy people 2010 objective for adult pneumococcal vaccination in an American Indian community.
OBJECTIVE
Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) causes significant mortality throughout the United States and greater mortality among American Indian/Alaska Natives. Vaccination reduces S. pneumoniae illness. We describe the methods used to achieve the Healthy People 2010 coverage rate goals for adult pneumococcal vaccine among those at high risk for severe disease in this population.


METHODS
We implemented a pneumococcal vaccination project to bolster coverage followed by an ongoing multidisciplinary program. We used community, home, inpatient, and outpatient vaccinations without financial barriers together with data improvement, staff and patient education, standing orders, and electronic and printed vaccination reminders. We reviewed local and national coverage rates and queried our electronic database to determine coverage rates.


RESULTS
In 2007, pneumococcal vaccination coverage rates among people > or = 65 years of age and among high-risk people aged 18-64 years were 96.0% and 61.2%, respectively, exceeding Healthy People 2010 goals. Government Performance and Results Act analyses reports revealed a 2.7-fold increase (36.0% to 98.0%) of coverage from 2000 to 2007 among people > or = 65 years of age at Whiteriver Service Unit in Whiteriver, Arizona.


CONCLUSIONS
We achieved pneumococcal vaccination rates in targeted groups of an American Indian population that reached Healthy People 2010 goals and were higher than rates in other U.S. populations. Our program may be a useful model for other communities attempting to meet Healthy People 2010 goals.
Traeger
Marc S
MS
Whiteriver Service Unit, Indian Health Service, Whiteriver, AZ 85941, USA. marc.traeger@ihs.gov
Say
Kenneth R
KR
Hastings
Verna
V
Yost
David A
DA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001130:Arizona; D019985:Benchmarking; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D040361:Healthy People Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D007198:Indians, North American; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data