Vaccination Programs: Provider Education When Used Alone

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Findings and Recommendations

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) finds insufficient evidence to determine if provider education interventions used alone improve vaccination rates.

The full CPSTF Finding and Rationale Statement and supporting documents for Vaccination Programs: Provider Education When Used Alone are available in The Community Guide Collection on CDC Stacks.

Intervention

Provider education used alone aims to increase providers’ knowledge and change their attitudes about vaccinations. Information may be shared through written materials, videos, lectures, continuing medical education programs, computer-assisted instruction, or distance-based training.

About The Systematic Review

The CPSTF finding is based on evidence from a Community Guide systematic review completed in 2010 (5 studies with 6 study arms, search period 1980-2009) combined with more recent evidence (1 study, search period 2009-2012).

Study Characteristics

  • Conducted in hospitals and primary care settings
  • Focused on uptake of different vaccinations including pneumococcal, influenza and the childhood series

Summary of Results

Six studies with seven study arms were included.

  • Overall vaccination rates increased by a median of 4 percentage points (6 studies with 7 study arms)
    • None of the individual estimates were statistically significant and results were inconsistent across studies

Summary of Economic Evidence

An economic review was not conducted because CPSTF did not have enough information to determine if the intervention works.

Applicability

Applicability was not assessed because CPSTF did not have enough information to determine if the intervention works.

Evidence Gaps

  • How effective is provider education when used to promote new vaccines or expanded recommendations for specific vaccinations?
  • Are interventions effective when delivered through distance-based training or other, newer approaches?

Implementation Considerations and Resources

Provider education can be included in two multicomponent intervention approaches recommended by CPSTF: