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Immunization Case Management Intervention

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

The immunization case management intervention assists children in inner-city, African American families receive timely immunizations. Beginning when an infant is 6 weeks old, case managers conduct client health and needs assessments in the home two weeks before immunizations are due. Case managers help clients develop goals and a plan for care, coordinate services for the client, and advocate with larger institutions and public assistance programs such as Medicaid. At each home visit case managers confirm that clients understand the immunization schedule and outstanding immunizations, that they have an appointment with a provider for the next immunization, and that they are planning on keeping the appointment. Case managers also work with clients to identify and resolve problems or barriers to care, such as transportation or lapsed Medicaid insurance.

Goal / Mission

The goal of this immunization case management intervention is to improve immunization rates among infants of low-income, urban, African American families.

Impact

Immunization case management increased the knowledge of immunization schedules, rate of well-child visits, and up-to-date immunization rate for children of participating families.

Results / Accomplishments

In a prospective randomized controlled trial and follow-up the intervention group was compared to a usual care control group. Among children in the case management group, immunization completion was significantly higher than the control group (63.8% vs. 50.6%, p = 0.01). Participants in the intervention group had increased knowledge of the immunization schedule (p = 0.008) and significantly increased well-child care visits (p < 0.001). The improvement in knowledge were associated with a higher immunization up-to-date rate (p = 0.03).

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
University of California Los Angeles
Primary Contact
Neal Halfon, MD, MPH
UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities
10960 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 960
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 794-0967
nhalfon@ucla.edu
http://www.healthychild.ucla.edu/
Topics
Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
Health / Children's Health
Health / Maternal, Fetal & Infant Health
Organization(s)
University of California Los Angeles
Source
The Journal of the American Medical Association
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
Los Angeles, CA
For more details
Target Audience
Children, Families
Santa Cruz