Mary Driscoll, RN, MPH¹, Peg Dublin, RN², and Bernetta Pearson, RN MS². (1) Cook County Ambulatory Health Network, Cook County Bureau of Health Services, 627 S. Wood, Suite 211, Chicago, IL 60612, 312-864-0710, mary.driscoll@hektoen.org, (2) Ambulatory Health Network, Cook County Bureau of Health Services, 627 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60612

Each year 10-20% of the U.S. population contracts influenza, resulting in 36,000 deaths. People at highest risk are those over 65, young children, and those with chronic disease. Healthy People 2010 have identified influenza as a significant threat to the public health and has targeted national prevention goals at 90% coverage among adults 65 years and older. Racial and ethnic disparities continue to exist in the United States, particularly in the over 65 population. National 2001 data show coverage for persons 65 and over at 67% for non-Hispanic Whites compared to 48% for African-Americans and 55% for Hispanics. The CDC Racial and Ethnic Disparitites Immunization Initiative (READII), 2002, selected 5 areas to identify successful strategies to increase influenza immunization coverage among African-American and Hispanic elderly. Cook County Bureau of Health Services, Ambulatory and Community Health Network (ACHN) is a participating partner. Successful strategies to raise adult immunizations in 5 Chicago health centers included assessment of current practices along with staff attitudies towards influenza vaccine; interactive staff education emphasizing partcipatory problem solving; and adoption of evidence-based office practices, including nursing standing orders, reminder systems, marketing, and patient education. Preliminary results of this project reveal a significant rate increase in vaccine coverage, important changes in staff attitudes as evidenced by over 90% of staff in 3 of the health centers receiving the flu vaccine as compared to 40% the previous year, and by other positive behavior changes among nurses and other staff. We will present the processes utilized, lessons learned and successful outcomes, including quantitative data from this project.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to state Healthy People 2010 objectives for influenza immunization coverage.
• Participants will be able to describe successful strategies to influenza immunization coverage.
• Participants will be able to list 3 outcomes achieved by enlisting strategies.

Keywords: Immunizations, Organizational Change

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Cook County Bureau of Health Services
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.