Vaccine Resources
- Video, websites and CDC fact sheets May 2013
- Global immunization educational materials and CDC updates April 2013
- Voices for Vaccines, CDC and IAC resources and understanding statistics March 2013
- Resources for parents, and immunization quality improvement study seeks participants Feb. 2013
- Various Updates Jan. 2013
Video, websites and CDC fact sheets
Several new or revised resources came to our attention last month. Take a few moments to check them out and see if they can help in your vaccination efforts:
Video
Dr. Mike Evans made a video titled “Should you get the HPV vaccine?” Posted on YouTube and just under nine minutes in length, the video uses the combination of narration during animation to discuss HPV biology and vaccination.
Websites
The Childhood Influenza Immunization Coalition (CIIC), a project of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), recently launched a redesigned website at www.preventchildhoodinfluenza.org. Updates include improved navigation and search functions, social media tools, and a variety of resources, such as fact sheets and “flu funnies” videos.
NFID also recently released the results of its teen health survey. Findings included several misperceptions related to teen health; for example, about one-third of teens who answered that they do not get an annual check-up felt they only need to see a doctor when they are ill.
Infographics for providers and parents present the findings graphically.
CDC fact sheets
Did you know that the CDC has a series of fact sheets related to vaccines and vaccine safety? The series includes titles such as, “Understanding MMR Vaccine Safety,” “Understanding the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)” and “Ensuring the Safety of Vaccines in the United States.” The sheets can be printed in color or black and white. High resolution print files are also available upon request for those who want to have materials printed at their expense.
Review or print the CDC vaccine safety fact sheets»
Global immunization educational materials and CDC updates
Global immunization educational materials
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has partnered with the United Nation Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign to offer pediatric practices materials to educate patients and their families about the importance of global immunizations. Practices can receive a free toolkit by completing a short survey. The kit includes posters, information cards for various audiences, pin drives with media for television and computers, mobile app information cards, bandages, and fundraising tools for those who may want to go a step further.
Check out the shot@life campaign website»
CDC Updates
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had updates regarding the following over the last few weeks:
- Teen vaccines - A variety of materials to assist with teen vaccines are available on the teen-specific section of the CDC website, including information for parents, teens, healthcare providers and public health professionals. A speakers’ bureau is currently being put together for this topic as well.
- Updated recommendations for meningococcal disease published – The March 22, 2013, issue of MMWR (Volume 62, No. RR-2) included updated meningococcal prevention and control guidance. The guidance combines previous recommendations in one reference and includes information about the use of MenHibrix®. Read more in this month’s Technically Speaking article»
- You Call the Shots – The hepatitis A module of the “You Call the Shots” training course was recently updated.
Voices for Vaccines, CDC and IAC resources and understanding statistics
Voices for Vaccines
Voices for Vaccines (VFV) is a non-profit group composed of parents who believe in the importance of vaccines. Supported by scientists and public health officials, the group aims to get science-based information about vaccines into the conversations that parents are having.
After a lag in activity, VFV has been re-energized by Ashley Shelby and Karen Ernst, dedicated parents who are volunteering their time to get more people involved and affect change. The group is currently working on adding members, following some state bills related to vaccines, and gathering a collection of personal stories. To see what VFV is doing or to join their efforts, visit their website at www.voicesforvaccines.org.
CDC and IAC resources
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently updated the following resources:
- “You Call the Shots” training modules related to vaccine storage and handling and the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program
- Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) related to PCV13
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) recently published the February 2013 issues of Needle Tips and Vaccinate Adults. Both contain ready-to-print educational materials for healthcare professionals and their patients, vaccine news and “Ask the Experts” columns. Check out the latest issues:
Understanding statistics
The journal, Vaccine, recently published an article titled “5 ways statistics can fool you — Tips for practicing clinicians.” Co-authors Colin P. West and Denise M. Dupras discuss five ways that statistical data can impact the interpretation of medical literature. Using examples in vaccine-related literature, the authors focus on the following:
- The differences between statistical and clinical significance
- The relevance of absolute versus relative risk to clinical significance
- The importance of confidence intervals and not just p values
- Considerations related to isolated p values in the midst of multiple tests
- Non-significant p values and their potential to have clinical significance
The paper may be a useful review or one to file for discussing vaccinology and the scientific findings of different studies.
Resources for parents, and immunization quality improvement study seeks participants
Resources for parents
The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) recently transformed its website for the public and the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) made some infographics available:
- IAC’s website transformation – www.vaccineinformation.org is the web site that IAC maintains for the public. Although this website has been available for several years, it has recently undergone renovations to improve navigation and refresh its appearance. Information is now organized into sections based on age. The website continues to offer an extensive selection of personal stories, videos and disease-specific information and resources. If you’ve not done so already, take a moment to check it out!
- CDC Infographics – If you have had parents question whether vaccines have been tested for safety, the CDC’s new infogaphic may be helpful. Titled “The Journey of Your Child’s Vaccine,” the graphic shows three major phases of vaccine development:
- How a new vaccine is developed, approved and manufactured
- How a vaccine is added to the U.S. recommended immunization schedule
- How a vaccine’s safety continues to be monitored
If you haven’t seen it, check it out or review the accompanying text document.
The CDC also has a new pertussis-specific infographic titled “Protect Babies from Whooping Cough.” The infographic highlights the need for pregnant moms to get vaccinated, describes the concept of cocooning, points out when babies and young children need to get pertussis-containing vaccines, and guides parents as to where to get the vaccine. The infographic and accompanying text document are available for sharing.
Immunization quality improvement study seeks participants
The American Academy of Pediatrics and Children’s National Medical Center recently started recruitment for a new study referred to as “Comparison of Immunization Quality Improvement Dissemination Strategies” or “CIzQIDS.” The randomized trial is seeking primary care practice teams interested in improving care and sharing what they learned with other participants.
Participating practices will be divided into two groups, half in a pay for performance intervention and half in a quality improvement technical support intervention. To qualify, practices must have a baseline immunization rate for 3- to 18-month-old patients of 79 percent or lower; however, practices are encouraged to apply even if they are unsure of their rates as the study team anticipates most practices will qualify. To learn more or listen to an informational recording, visit the AAP’s web page. To see if you are qualified, complete the screening survey.
Various updates
A variety of resources have come to our attention this month. Please use the links below to navigate to stories that interest you. Becar, links to additional information are provided for each.
- Oregonians for Healthy Children
- NFID’s Adolescent Vaccination Website
- Measles & Rubella Initiative
- Cervical Cancer Screening Data
- Literature Review Related to Vaccines and Premature Infants
- Medscape Awards in Infectious Diseases: Disease Most Likely to Be Eradicated from Earth
Oregonians for Healthy Children
Oregonians for Healthy Children is currently working to pass a bill in Oregon that will require education for parents who request vaccine exemptions for their children. The measures are in response to increases in exemption requests in recent years and would require education either by viewing an online video or talking with a healthcare provider. The group is seeking supporters who are willing to be listed as part of the campaign, share information with their colleagues, provide testimony or meet with legislators, assist with media efforts or offer financial support.
Learn more, or better yet, get involved »
NFID’s Adolescent Vaccination Website
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) has re-launched its adolescent vaccination website at www.adolescentvaccination.org. The updates included improvements to navigation and searches as well as updated information, news stories, resources, and real-life stories of families affected by diseases that can be prevented through the adolescent immunization schedule.
Measles & Rubella Initiative
While measles outbreaks and concerns about the safety of the MMR vaccine continue to plague the U.S. and some parts of Europe, people in Africa continue working to improve vaccine coverage rates in parts of that continent. The December 2012 Measles & Rubella Initiative newsletter provided some wonderful stories of success and the need for continued efforts to raise funds and continue immunizing. The newsletter also included a nice map showing measles cases throughout the world during 2012.
Cervical Cancer Screening Data
The January 4, 2013 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) contained two articles related to cervical cancer screening, “Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women Aged 18-30 Years – United States 2000-2010” and “Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women by Hysterectomy Status Among Women Aged >65 Years – United States, 2000-2010.” Both surveys focused on Pap screening over the decade beginning in 2000. Current guidelines suggest that:
- Pap screening begins at 21 years of age.
- Women between 22 and 30 years old should only be screened every three years.
- Women ages 65 years and older should not get Pap tests.
- Women who have had a complete hysterectomy should not get Pap tests.
- Although not covered in either report, women between the ages of 30 and 65 should be screened with both Pap and HPV tests every five years or if getting only Pap tests, every three years.
Read about the findings using the links to each article or find a summary prepared by Zosia Chustecka on Medscape.
Literature Review Related to Vaccines and Premature Infants
Susanna Esposito and colleagues recently published a review of the literature related to vaccinations in premature infants. The article, “Immunogenicity, Safety and Tolerability of Vaccinations in Premature Infants,” was published in Expert Rev Vaccines, 2012 Oct;11(10):1199-209 and can be accessed on Medscape. The authors concluded that while additional data should be sought regarding newer vaccines, existing data shows that premature infants should follow the same schedule as that of full-term babies.
Medscape Awards in Infectious Diseases: Disease Most Likely to Be Eradicated from Earth
In an interesting article by John G. Bartlett, readers are asked to choose which of seven diseases is likely to be successfully eradicated next. Bartlett goes on to describe the contenders in what he terms a “2-horse race,” and predicts which of the two he thinks will win. Not to spoil it, this article will not reveal the contenders, you’ll have to go to Medscape to find out and after reading his arguments, you will have the opportunity to discuss whether you agree with Dr. Bartlett.
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