AAFP, CDC Promote Immunizations Among Minority Populations

By Jonathan Springston, Editor, Relias Media

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the CDC have partnered to create two quality improvement initiatives aimed at improving immunization rates among minority populations.

For Project 1, “Improving Adult Immunization Rates among Minority Populations QI Initiative,” AAFP and CDC will recruit 25 family medicine practices to participate. Each selected practice will receive $4,000 to randomly select 50 adult minority patients. The offices will conduct chart reviews for each patient four times: at pre-intervention, at post-intervention, at sustainability and evaluation stages of the project, and at some point during the project period.

For Project 2, “Improving Immunization Rates Among African American Adults QI Initiative,” 10 family medicine practices will be selected, each of which will recruit 20 African American patients randomly. Each practice will receive $1,000 to conduct chart reviews on each patient at pre-intervention and at post-intervention.

Through these programs, the organizations hope to not only boost immunization rates (especially influenza vaccinations), but also gather more and better data, which can be shared widely and collaboratively. Both projects will start in February. Project 1 is expected to last until June 2025, while Project 2 is expected to conclude in February 2022. The registration deadline is Jan. 8. Learn more here.

The FDA has granted an emergency use authorization for one COVID-19 vaccine candidate, with at least one more (if not others) expected to receive a similar designation in the coming weeks. Several upcoming issues of Relias Media publications, including January Hospital Employee Health and February ED Management and Same-Day Surgery, will include extensive coverage of COVID-19 vaccines.

The January issue of Hospital Infection Control & Prevention includes an article specifically about addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Black and Latinx populations. For even more Relias Media coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, please click here.