Universally Recommended Vaccinations: Clinic-Based Client Education When Used Alone

Clinic-based client education interventions focus on the content and provision of education to individuals or groups served in a medical or public health clinical setting. Educational approaches include the use of brochures, videotapes, posters, vaccine information statements (VIS), and face-to-face sessions designed to inform and motivate clients to obtain recommended vaccinations in the clinic. These activities are usually delivered in advance of and in addition to the client-provider interaction.

Educational approaches delivered in other settings (e.g. schools or child care centers), and multi-component interventions in which clinic-based education is combined with additional interventions (such as client reminder/recall or standing orders) are reviewed elsewhere.

Summary of Task Force Recommendations & Findings

The Community Preventive Services Task Force finds insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of clinic-based client education when implemented alone in increasing vaccination rates or reducing rates of vaccine preventable illness.

Although the four included studies otherwise provide sufficient evidence on effectiveness, the Task Force finding reflects concerns about applicability beyond the specific experiences of a limited number of researchers to the broader range of potential educational activities in clinic-based settings. Results from the included studies, which showed increases in immunizations for pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine among older adults with very low baseline coverage, may not generalize to other vaccines and populations

Task Force Finding & Rationale Statement

Results from the Systematic Reviews

The Task Force finding is based on evidence from a Community Guide systematic review published in 2000 (search period 1980-1997) combined with more recent evidence (search period 1997-2009). The Task Force finding of insufficient evidence to determine effectiveness of this intervention remains unchanged.

Learn more about the original review and Task Force finding in the Vaccinations to Prevent Diseases section of our publications page.

Four studies with six study arms qualified for this review (one from the previous review and 3 from the more recent search).

• In two studies conducted by the same group of investigators, vaccination rates for pneumococcal vaccine among older men increased substantially. In both studies, educational brochures were:
  • Given to patients in an outpatient clinic for use during an appointment with their provider
  • Used by patients to request a discussion with their provider about the immunization
• The other two included studies did not show increases in vaccination rates.

The review findings are based on a systematic review of all available studies, conducted on behalf of the Task Force by a team of specialists in systematic review methods, and in research, practice and policy related to vaccinations to prevent diseases.

Economic Review

An economic review of this intervention was not conducted because the Task Force found insufficient evidence to determine its effectiveness.

Publications

The findings and results of this systematic review have not been published. Read other Community Guide publications about Vaccinations to Prevent Diseases in our library, including articles about the previous review. You may also subscribe to be notified as new materials on this topic become available.

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Sample Citation

The content of publications of the Guide to Community Preventive Services is in the public domain. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated. Sample citation: Guide to Community Preventive Services. Universally recommended vaccinations: clinic-based client education when used alone. www.thecommunityguide.org/vaccines/universally/clinicbasededucation.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.

Review completed: February 2011