Recordatorios informáticos: una estrategia más de vacunación antigripal en pacientes menores de 65 años

Abstract

Objective To analyze the effect of introducing a computer reminder about influenza vaccination (vaccination flash) into the medical records of patients younger than 65 years with risk factors. Patients and methods A controlled non-randomized intervention study in two primary care centers of an urban area in Madrid (Spain) was performed between 2001 and 2002. A total of 1,522 patients (542 in the intervention group and 980 in the control group), aged between 6 months and 65 years with criteria for influenza vaccination were included. The intervention consisted of the introduction of a vaccination reminder flash into the medical record. The variables analyzed were age, sex, disease, vaccination flash and vaccination status in 2001 and in 2002. Results During the 2002 campaign, 20.8% of the control group and 41.5% of the intervention group were vaccinated (RR = 1.37; p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between groups in sex or underlying disease. In patients in the intervention group not immunized in 2001, the increase in vaccination coverage was more than two-fold (RR = 2.48; p < 0.0001). Conclusions The introduction of a vaccination flash intocomputerized medical records could be useful in increasing immunization coverage against influenza in patients aged less than 65 years old with risk factors. Coverage was higher in patients not previously immunized.