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Education for Limited English Proficiency Parents to Enhance Student Influenza Vaccination Rates
Lam, Tram Whitcomb, Holly Link, Heather
Lam, Tram
Whitcomb, Holly
Link, Heather
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Abstract
Influenza is a significant public health concern, especially among pediatric populations who are at increased risk of severe illness and complications. Despite strong recommendations from health authorities, vaccination rates among children in the United States are declining, with notable decreases in Vermont. Vaccine hesitancy, particularly among parents with limited English proficiency (LEP), contributes to this trend. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to enhance accessibility to educational materials for parents with LEP to reduce vaccine hesitancy and improve influenza vaccination rates among students at a public school-based flu clinic in Vermont. An infographic containing evidence-based information on influenza vaccination benefits, safety, and efficacy was developed at a 5th-grade reading level and translated into Spanish and French. The infographic and reminders via emails, text messages, and automated voice calls were distributed to parents before and during the school-based flu clinic. Vaccination data were collected during three clinic days in the Fall of 2024, and a post-clinic parental survey evaluated the impact of the educational materials. In 2024, 153 students received the influenza vaccine at the school-based flu clinic, a 50% increase from 2023. Post-clinic surveys indicated that all participating parents found the infographic easy to understand, and the majority reported that it positively influenced their knowledge and decision to vaccinate their child. This project demonstrated that expanding access to multilingual educational materials may positively impact parental attitudes toward influenza vaccination and improve vaccination rates. These findings support implementing culturally and linguistically inclusive communication strategies to enhance vaccine uptake in school settings.
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Date
2025-01-01