Health Promotion Proposal: Influenza Vaccine in Older Adults
Goal For Health Promotion
Increasing the Immunization Rate of Influenza Vaccine in Older Adults
Influenza is a viral infection that causes an estimated three to five million cases of severe illness annually worldwide (Bakhshi & While, 2014, p. 474). Influenza (flu) viruses are most prevalent in the United States from late fall to early spring each year (“Prevention And Control,” 2013, p. 1). Many people who become infected with the influenza viruses recover without any problems, but certain people are at a higher risk of developing complications related to the flu virus. Influenza can cause serious illness or even death in adults sixty-five years and older as well as children two years old and younger (“Prevention And Control,” 2013, p. 1). ). With age the immune system weakens, making adults sixty-five years old and older more susceptible to the influenza virus. The risk of severe illness in this age group even further increases if comorbidities are present (Bakhshi & While, 2014, p. 474). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, (2015) more than half of flu-related hospitalizations and ninety percent of flu-related deaths occur in people age sixty-five years and older (para. 2).
Primary prevention of the flu starts with getting the influenza vaccine each year before flu season begins. The flu vaccine is recommended annually for everyone six months old and older (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014). The flu vaccine can prevent the flu, or make the symptoms milder if a person is infected with the influenza virus. Studies have shown that vaccination can reduce the risk of flu-related hospitalizations in older adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015).
Increasing Accessibility and Availability of the Influenza Vaccine
Community interventions can increase the rate of influenza vaccination among older adults. Interventions are focused around enhancing access and increasing community demand. Potential barriers for older adults include availability and accessibility of the influenza vaccine (Bakhshi & While, 2014, p. 477). Lack of transportation and limited physical functioning can make it difficult to go to the provider’s office to get vaccinated (Bakhshi & While, 2014, p. 477). For these patients home visits can be provided in order to make the vaccine accessible to them. Flu shot clinics can be provided for patients that are not limited by transportation or disability. Patients should be encouraged to get vaccinated and provided with verbal and written information regarding the benefits of being vaccinated, as well as educated regarding the misconceptions about the flu vaccine (Bakhshi & While, 2014, p. 477). Sending reminders to get vaccinated to patient’s homes in the form of letters or postcards may also help increase the immunization rate in older adults (Bakhshi & While, 2014, p. 477).
Preventing Avoidable Illness
For the family nurse practitioner, health promotion and disease prevention is a primary goal. Educating patient’s about evidence-based interventions and lifestyle recommendations is a critical aspect of a family nurse practitioner’s practice (Thomas, Hart, & Burman, 2014, p. 221). Increasing the rate of influenza vaccination among older adults is a priority. It prevents avoidable illness and possible complications associated with influenza, and reduces the demands on limited health care resources (Bakhshi & While, 2014, p. 478). It may also decrease the hospitalization rate due to influenza and it’s complications. This directly benefits the patient and the provider of care.
Data and Information Collection Related to Flu Vaccination
The goal of health promotion is to develop interventions that improve and promote health and prevent disease. In order for the interventions discussed to succeed, information must be collected. Names and addresses of patients sixty-five years and older will need to be obtained for the mailing of reminder postcards. Patients that are homebound will need to be called and offered a home visit for administration of the flu vaccine. It will also be important to collect the data from the previous year showing the rate of administration of the flu vaccine that was given within the target population to be able to compare it with the current data. Lastly, consideration must also be given to ask patients if they have received the flu shot somewhere else, possibly at their pharmacy, or if they are allergic to the vaccine and cannot receive it. Collecting data and information is essential for assessing the effectiveness of interventions and to identify opportunities for improvement (Victorian Government Department of Human Services, 2008, p. 9).
References
Bakhshi, S., & While, A. E. (2014). Maximising influenza vaccination uptake among older people. British Journal of Community Nursing, 19(10), 474-479. http://dx.doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2014.19.10.474
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Influenza (flu). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/flushot.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Vaccine effectiveness- how well does the flu vaccine work? Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm
Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: Recommendations of the advisory committee on immunization practices-United States, 2013-2014. (2013). MMWR Reccomendations & Reports, 62(7), 1-42.
Thomas, J. J., Hart, A., & Burman, M. E. (2014). Improving health promotion and disease prevention in NP-delivered primary care. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 10(4), 221-228. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2014.01.013
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2015). Seniors. Retrieved from http://www.flu.gov/at-risk/seniors/
Victorian Government Department of Human Services. (2008). Planning for effective health promotion evaluation. Retrieved from http://docs.health.vic.gov.au/docs/doc/32F5DB093231F5D3CA57B27001E19D0/$FILE/planning_may05_2.pdf
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