Public Health Opportunities to Improve Late-Adolescent Immunization

J Public Health Manag Pract. 2018 Nov/Dec;24(6):554-557. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000000792.

Abstract

Seven state/local immunization program managers were convened to discuss how public health immunization programs could enhance their efforts to promote adolescent vaccination, with an emphasis on late adolescence (ages 16-18 years). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's revised childhood immunization schedule for 2017 and a recently proposed preventive care platform at 16 years of age provide a unique opportunity to focus on increasing adolescent immunization rates in this population. Public health officials discussed challenges to immunizing this population and suggested key strategies for supporting late-adolescent immunization, including partnerships between public health and immunization providers; nationally supported public information campaigns; and using immunization data specific to this population to track progress.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Cooperative Behavior
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunization Programs / methods*
  • Immunization Programs / standards
  • Immunization Programs / statistics & numerical data
  • Male
  • Program Evaluation / methods
  • Quality Improvement
  • Vaccination / standards*
  • Vaccination / statistics & numerical data