Purpose
Goal
History
By fall
2004, the committee had mailed an informational flier to all Kiwanis Key
clubs, and Dr. Graves announced its beginnings at the school nurse’s
conference. In September, Kelly Zachrich attended the National Coalition
Conference where Virginia, Rhode Island and Arizona presented their
programs. The group also met with marketing personnel to help guide its
educational campaign.
The
Indiana State Department of Health promoted Vaccinate Before You
Graduate during Public Health Week, April 4-10, 2005.
The Vaccinate Before
You Graduate Program
in Rhode
Island in 2001.
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Organizers launched a pilot program
after a year of planning.
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School nurses reviewed records,
contacted families and advocated for space and time in their schools.
Students and schools received incentives for participating. The Rhode
Island Immunization Program provided all supplies and staffing for
clinics.
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Organizers concluded that school-based
adolescent vaccinations initiatives work as long as the school doesn’t
have to be the principal planner and the immunization program provides
the shots.
Virginia
is in its third year with this campaign, and they’ve focused on
Hepatitis A & B, Tetanus, Meningococcal and Varicella.
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In the first year, they collaborated
with Jostens, the makers of class rings, cap and gowns and yearbooks
for high school students. They sent 50,000+ fliers in packets put
together by Jostens for incoming seniors. In their second year, they
sent 120,000+ fliers, adding packets for sophomores and juniors
purchasing class rings. Jostens picked up the cost of the mailing.
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They also created a statewide
adolescent immunization week and hosted a national satellite
conference on the campaign.
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In the third year, they put together a
tool kit for public and private providers and worked with school
districts to add immunization messages to report cards.
The
Arizona Partnership for Immunization (TAPI) worked with at-risk students
to develop news communication tools and techniques to educate teens
about the importance of immunizations.
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This group of students, known as “The
Immunizers,” developed a poster, brochure, reminder recall cards and a
rap song for a radio public service announcement designed to appeal to
teens.
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The group’s “Be Bold…Be Brave…Avoid the
Grave” campaign has won several awards.
Indiana’s Pilot Programs
The
pilot programs in Indiana for Vaccinate Before You Graduate began in
spring 2005.
Vigo
County – In Vigo County high school juniors were targeted at school
based clinics and a special seniors night was conducted at the Vigo
County Health Department.
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School nurses identified 760 who need
immunization including Hepatitis B.
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School based clinics were scheduled for
each of the three high schools in both April and May.
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The school nurse sent home a letter and
the student’s record. Organizers used Kiwanians for stuffing envelopes
and sending out letters reminding parents and students of the next
clinic. They used postcards as a reminder for the second clinic. After
entering data into CHIRP, they then were able to use CHIRP for labels
for the postcards.
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They had a public service announcement
for both clinics and received TV news coverage for the 1st
clinic. They received newspaper coverage as well.
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Two hundred and fifty nine students
were vaccinated with 550 immunizations that included Hepatitis B, Td,
Polio and Menactra at the school based clinics. Eighty-six high school
seniors were vaccinated with 178 immunizations that included Hepatitis
B, Td, Polio, Menactra and Varivax. In addition 7 tuberculin tests
were done.
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A wrap up luncheon with organizers was
conducted to evaluate the program.
Hammond – The city of Hammond targeted eighth graders needing their
Hepatitis B immunizations.
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The city of Hammond has 1,260 eighth
graders enrolled in public and private schools of those students, 691
were lacking the Hepatitis B series.
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Organizers have an April Immunization
Blitz every year, but this year they changed it to May to introduce
Hepatitis B. Using the CHIRP database, they sent cards in March and
will send out reminder cards this fall.
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Organizers sent fliers in English and
Spanish to every public school; they received newspaper coverage,
purchased bus signs; and they also received a proclamation from the
mayor.
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During the school based clinics held in
May and June 219 Hepatitis B vaccinations were given.
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Students received the VBYG bracelets,
which were popular.
Vanderburgh County –Vanderburgh County organizers are targeting high
school seniors needing their Hepatitis B immunizations.
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High School students screened for
incomplete Hepatitis B series
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The pilot program will be launched at
three of Vanderburgh County’s five high schools.
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Clinic dates are set for October,
November and April (2pm-5pm)
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Local Kiwanis group and their Key Club
assisted with postage and mailing of 378 student letter and will help
with crowd control at school based clinics.
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All other high school students were
sent GlaxoSmithKline postage-paid B-Free postcards with information to
call the Vanderburgh Health Department for immunizations
Organizing a Vaccinate Before You
Graduate campaign
The
following action plan helped the Indiana pilot program organizers
achieve their objectives: gathering support from key people and
mobilizing others to carry out the program.
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Meet with school administrators, school
nurses, teachers and other relevant staff to agree on the need to plan
and implement the Vaccinate Before You Graduate program.
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Educate school administrators,
healthcare personnel and teaching staff about the Vaccinate Before You
Graduate program.
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Hold a meeting to inform them of the
Vaccinate Before You Graduate program.
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Initiate discussion about implementing
the program in your school.
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Distribute copies of Vaccine
Information Statements for each recommended vaccine including: MMR,
Hepatitis B, Td, Varicella, Meningococcal and Polio to answer
vaccine-specific questions.
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Identify target population and
establish a vaccination goal (i.e. which grades will participate in
the program).
Download this document:
Word .doc /
Adobe PDF
Meningitis
Foundation of America (MFA) Development Director, Ryan Pike, teams up
with the Indiana Immunization Coalition
Public Service Announcement Helps Raise Awareness of Dangerous Disease
INDIANAPOLIS –
December 7, 2005 – Ryan Pike was a healthy college freshman attending
Indiana University in 1997 until he awoke one morning with flu-like
symptoms. Pike’s symptoms became worse throughout the day to the point
where he was hospitalized, eventually learning that he contracted
meningococcal meningitis.
After being read
last rights by his parish priest and given a 30% chance of survival,
Pike lived despite severe after-effects such as the loss of 9 toes,
depreciation of septum in his nose and pallet in the roof of his mouth,
along with several skin graphs. Pike spent 2 ˝ months in the hospital
and returned to Indiana University the following semester.
After graduating
from IU in 2001, Pike began volunteering for the MFA, where he’s
currently employed as Development Director. Over the past 2 years, Pike
has spoken publicly to high school seniors on the dangers of
meningococcal meningitis and its preventative methods. Pike said, “My
goal is to educate others on meningitis so that they don’t have to
experience what I went through.” Pike wears sandals during his speeches
so that students can not only hear but see the effects of meningococcal
meningitis.
Pike
was awarded honors as a Top 30 Graduate under Age 30 from Indiana
University in 2004 and the Sanofi Pasteur Immunization Education Award
from the Indiana Immunization Coalition in 2005. For more information
on meningitis and its preventative methods, feel free to contact Pike at
317/595-6395.
Download this document as:
Word .doc /
Adobe PDF
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Additional Resources:
Pilot Programs / Contacts
for more information:
Hammond-Helen Uhlman 219-853-6358, 649 Conkey Road, Hammond IN
46321
Vanderburgh County-Kim Hay 812-435-5629, Oak Park Professional
Bldg. 420 Mulberry St., Evansville, IN 47713,
khay@vanderburghgov.org
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