Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess t he effectiveness of a nation-widemultifaceted intervention programme involving general practitioners (GPs) on influenza immunisation practice.
DESIGN: Pragmatic before-after trial using pre- and post-measurement questionnaires.
SETTING AND SUBJECTS: Random sample of Dutch general practices.
INTERVENTION: During a 2.5-year period (1995-1997) a variety of methods was implemented to enhance physician adoption of the immunisation guideline, including employment of facilitators, information-based methods, small-group consensus meetings, individual instructions and introduction of supportive computer software.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Influenza immunisation practice and influenza vaccine uptake.
RESULTS: In 988 practices all influenza vaccination characteristics markedly improved from 1995 to 1997. The most significant changes were found in computerised marking of high-risk patients (from 54% to 82% of practices), computerised selection (41% to 77%) and sending personal reminders (40% to 77%). Vaccine uptake increased from 9% to 16% of the practice population (78% increase, p < 0.001). Uptake was most prominent in urban and single-handed practices and in those with more patients insured through the National Health Service, low GP workload and low baseline uptake.
CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that a co-ordinated approach involving primary care physicians can succeed in enlarging the public health impact of a population-based preventive measure.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 237-241 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec-2000 |
Keywords
- Analysis of Variance
- Family Practice
- Humans
- Immunization Programs
- Influenza, Human
- National Health Programs
- Netherlands
- Physician's Practice Patterns
- Practice Guidelines as Topic
- Program Evaluation
- Prospective Studies
- Statistics, Nonparametric