Skip directly to search Skip directly to site content

S M L XL

Submit your email address to get updates on The Community Guide topics of interest.

Universally Recommended Vaccinations: Provider Education When Used Alone

Provider education when used alone involves giving information regarding vaccinations to providers to increase their knowledge or change their attitudes. Techniques by which information is delivered can include:

  • Written materials
  • Videos
  • Lectures
  • Continuing medical education programs
  • Computer-assisted instruction
  • Distance-based training with access to the educator using the internet or satellite

Summary of Task Force Recommendations & Findings

The Community Preventive Services Task Force finds insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of provider education interventions when implemented alone in improving vaccination rates or in reducing vaccine-preventable illness. Evidence is considered insufficient because the five identified studies observed changes in vaccination rates that were both small in magnitude and inconsistent.

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.

Five studies with six study arms qualified for the review (two from the previous review and three from the more recent search). Across the studies, results were inconsistent.

  • Median increase in vaccination rates: 2.9 percentage points (Interquartile Interval [IQI]:-4.7 to +10.3 percentage points; 4 studies)
  • Provider education was less effective than standing orders and provider reminders (1 study).

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.



Disclaimer

The findings and conclusions on this page are those of the Community Preventive Services Task Force and do not necessarily represent those of CDC.

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: provider education when used alone. www.thecommunityguide.org/vaccines/universally/providereducation.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.

Review completed: March 2010