226358 Student immunization requirements of U.S. health professional schools

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Megan C. Lindley, MPH , National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Suchita A. Lorick, DO, MPH , National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Jovonni R. Spinner, MPH , National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
Andrea Krull, MPH, RN , National Vaccine Program Office, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
Gina Mootrey, DO, MPH , National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Faruque Ahmed, MD, PhD, MPH , National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Rosa Myers, ARNP, MSN , Office on Women's Health, Region 3, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Philadelphia, PA
Geraldine P. Bednash, PhD , American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Washington, DC
Tyler Cymet, DO , American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Chevy Chase, MD
Rika Maeshiro, MD, MPH , Biomedical and Health Sciences Research, Association of American Medical Colleges, Washington, DC
C. Fay Raines, PhD , University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL
Stephen C. Shannon, DO , American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Chevy Chase, MD
Henry Sondheimer, MD , Association of American Medical Colleges, Washington, DC
Raymond A. Strikas, MD , National Vaccine Program Office, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
Background: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends healthcare personnel (HCP), including students, receive measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), hepatitis B, varicella, influenza, and pertussis-containing vaccines. Unvaccinated HCP are at increased risk for acquiring and transmitting vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD) in their workplaces. Vaccination policies of schools training HCP may impact future vaccine uptake by HCP and their patients.

Objective: Characterize student immunization policies' compliance with ACIP recommendations at selected U.S. health professional schools.

Methods: Internet-based survey distributed to deans of all accredited medical, baccalaureate nursing, and osteopathic medical programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico (n=755), fielded November 2008-March 2009.

Results: 563 schools (75%) responded. Commonly reported influences on school vaccination policies were clinical rotation sites' requirements (78%) and ACIP recommendations for HCP (65%). Most schools (≥90%) required students to receive MMR, hepatitis B, and varicella vaccines. Only 66% required pertussis-containing vaccine and, although 78% of schools offered influenza vaccination to students, only 18% required it. Requirements were similar by school type, region, public/private status, and program age. Medical (82%) and osteopathic medical (78%) schools were more likely than nursing schools (47%, p<0.05) to require compliance with vaccination requirements within 30 days of classes starting. Inability to undertake clinical work was the most common consequence of noncompliance (90% of schools).

Conclusions: Vaccination requirements at most health professional schools do not include all ACIP-recommended vaccines. Aligning requirements with ACIP recommendations could reduce HCP VPD infections and nosocomial VPD transmission, increase quality of care, and decrease employee illness.

Learning Areas:
Occupational health and safety
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the two vaccines recommended for healthcare personnel that are required for students at less than 75% of health professional schools. 2. List two consequences of inadequate vaccination that affect healthcare personnel in the workplace.

Keywords: Immunizations, Health Care Workers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an epidemiologist for the CDC team that researches policy and utilization related to vaccines for adults, including healthcare workers, and because I maintain a database of state laws pertaining to healthcare worker vaccination.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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