THE IMPACT OF AN INFLUENZA VACCINE CLINIC ON VACCINATION RATES AND COLD AND FLU SYMPTOMS IN A CLINIC FOR THE HOMELESS
Creators: name: Lewis, Daria
Publisher: name: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Nursing
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: PROBLEM STATEMENT: The homeless population is often sicker when compared to people with stable housing. Respiratory viruses are common and have an increased rate of spread in homeless shelters due to the close proximity in which people live. Increased influenza (flu) vaccine administration among the homeless may lead to a reduction in not only influenza but also in cold and flu-like symptoms. PURPOSE: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine if an onsite flu vaccine clinic in a homeless shelter in 2014-2015 increased flu vaccination rates and reduced cold and flu-like symptoms when compared to previous years (2010 to 2013) when there was not a designated flu vaccine clinic onsite. METHODS: Chart reviews were conducted to assess the number of flu vaccines administered from October through December 2010-2013, before an onsite flu vaccine clinic and from October 2014 to January 8, 2015 when there was an onsite flu vaccination clinic. These numbers were compared. Record review indicated that 26 African American, 19 Caucasian and 5 Hispanic homeless males between 23 and 71 years of age where seen in the clinic with cold or flu-like symptoms across all the time periods. Data on cold and flu-like symptoms were collected from patient charts to determine if there was a change in the prevalence of these conditions when flu vaccine rates were increased. Descriptive statistics were used to determine mean age and smoking prevalence among flu vaccine recipients. Microsoft Excel 2010 was used to analyze data for: 1) number of vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients; 2) number of clinic visits with and without cold and flu-like symptoms; 3) the number of clinic visits by age; 4) most common cold and flu-like symptoms; 5) flu vaccine recipients based on race and average age, and 6) comparison of number of smokers and non-smokers who received the flu vaccine. RESULTS: Summary statistics revealed that an average of 17 patients received a flu vaccine from October through December 2010-2013 and 34 people received a vaccine from October 2014 through January 8, 2015. Altogether a total of 101 people received a flu vaccine, 94 people did not. There were also fewer cold and flu-like symptoms clinic visits (4) after an onsite flu vaccine clinic when compared to before a flu vaccine clinic was onsite (average 11 per the specified time period). People 50-59 years of age had the most clinic visits (79). The most common cold and flu-like symptom was cough/sneeze. The mean age of vaccine recipients was 52 (sd=10) years of age and older patients had the highest uptake of vaccines. African Americans also received the most flu vaccinations. Findings indicated that from the 100 smokers, 29 of them received a flu vaccine as compared to 44 non-smokers from which 21 people received a vaccination. SIGNIFICANCE: An onsite flu vaccine clinic in a homeless shelter increased vaccination rates and may reduce the number of cold and flu-like symptoms reported by patients seeking care in the clinic.