Using participatory action research to identify strategies to improve pandemic vaccination.
OBJECTIVE
Developing and implementing effective strategies to increase influenza vaccination rates among health care personnel is an ongoing challenge, especially during a pandemic. We used participatory action research (PAR) methodology to identify targeted vaccination interventions that could potentially improve vaccine uptake in a medical center.


METHODS
Front-line medical center personnel were recruited to participate in 2 PAR teams (clinical and nonclinical staff). Data from a recent medical center survey on barriers and facilitators to influenza (seasonal, pandemic, and combination) vaccine uptake were reviewed, and strategies to increase vaccination rates among medical center personnel were identified.


RESULTS
Feasible, creative, and low-cost interventions were identified, including organizational strategies that differed from investigator-identified interventions. The recommended strategies also differed by team. The nonclinical team suggested programs focused on dispelling vaccination-related myths, and the clinical team suggested campaigns emphasizing the importance of vaccination to protect patients.


CONCLUSIONS
PAR methodology was useful to identify innovative and targeted recommendations for increasing vaccine uptake. By involving representative front-line workers, PAR may help medical centers improve influenza vaccination rates across all work groups.
Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA.
Kathleen A
KA
Crowley
Ronnie
R
Myers
Halley E M
HE
Riley
Stephen S
SS
Morse
Paul
P
Brandt-Rauf
Robyn R M
RR
Gershon
D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D006126:Group Processes; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D058873:Pandemics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care