10451
document
Boosting uptake of influenza immunisation : a randomised controlled trial of telephone appointing in general practice . BACKGROUND Immunisation against influenza is an effective intervention that reduces serologically confirmed cases by between 60 % and 70 % . Almost all influenza immunisation in the UK is done within general practice . Current evidence on the effectiveness of patient reminders for all types of immunisation programmes is largely based on North American studies . AIM To determine whether telephone appointments offered bygeneral practice receptionists increase the uptake of irfluenza immunisation among the registered population aged over 65 years in east London practices . DESIGN OF STUDY Randomised controlled trial . SETTING Three research general practices within the East London and Essex network of researchers ( ELENoR ) . METHOD Participants were 1,820 low-risk patients aged 65 to 74 years who had not previously been in a recall system for influenza immunisation at their general practice . The intervention , during October 2000 , was a telephone call from the practice receptionist to intervention group households , offering an appointment for influenza immunisation at a nurse-run . clinic Main outcome measures were the numbers of individuals in each group receiving immunisation , and practice costs of a telephone-appointing programme . RESULTS intention to treat analysis showed an immunisation rate in the control group of 44 % , compared with 50 % in the intervention group ( odds ratio = 1.29 , 95 % confidence interval = 1.03 to 1.63 ) . Of the patients making a telephone appointment , 88 % recieved immunisation , while 22 % of those not wanting an appointment went on to be immunised . In the controlgroup , income generated was 11.35 pounds per immunisation , for each additional immunisation in the intervention group the income was 5.20 pounds . The 'number needed to telephone ' was 17 . CONCLUSION Uptake of influenza immunisation among the low-risk older population in inner-city areas can be boosted by around 6 % using a simple intervention by receptionists . Immunisation rates in this low-risk group fell well short of the 60 % government target . Improving immunisation rates will require a sustained public health campaign . Retaining the item-of-service payments to practices should support costs of practice-based interventions .
10452
Intervention_Other
telephone appointments
10453
Intervention_Other
telephone call from the practice receptionist
10454
Intervention_Control
control
10455
Intervention_Other
telephone appointment
10456
Intervention_Control
controlgroup
10457
Outcome_Other
uptake of irfluenza immunisation
10458
Outcome_Mental
numbers of individuals in each group receiving immunisation
10459
Outcome_Other
practice costs of a telephone-appointing programme
10460
Outcome_Mental
immunisation rate
10461
Outcome_Mental
immunisation
10462
Outcome_Other
income generated
10463
Outcome_Other
'number needed to telephone
10464
Outcome_Mental
Immunisation rates
10465
Outcome_Mental
immunisation rates
10466
Participant_Age
over 65 years
10467
Participant_Sample-size
1,820
10468
Participant_Age
65 to 74
10469
Participant_Condition
not previously been in a recall system for influenza immunisation
10470
Participant_Condition
low-risk older