"Please use this thread to discuss the following:Prioritizing Preventative Health in Older Adults Residing in Long-Term Care Facilities Through VaccinationCP2 - Prioritizing Preventative Health in Older Adults Residing in Long-Term Care Facilities Through Vaccination Poster Type: Research Track/Topic: A. T. Still University; Quality of Care and Quality Improvement Research Objectives: Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) house adults who require acute rehabilitation or long-term high-level care. Influenza and pneumonia cause 90% of deaths in adults 65+; only 42-66% of Pennsylvania LTCF residents receive these vaccinations. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed to identify perceived barriers to vaccination in LTCFs across Pennsylvania. Research Study Design/Methods: LTCFs located in Pennsylvania, identified by zip-code, were contacted via publicly available contact information and administrators were asked to participate in an anonymous phone survey designed to gather information regarding vaccination practices. Our survey contained questions and discussion prompts designed to assess the following: how vaccines are recorded, what information is recorded, how charts are checked for vaccination gaps, the vaccination process, and perceived barriers to vaccination. Research Principal Findings and Quantitative/Qualitative Results: Of 406 eligible LTCFs, 109 were contacted and 22 agreed to participate (20.2%). Thirteen centers reported use of electronic records; 7 use both paper and electronic records. Vaccine records reportedly included patient identifying information (95.2%), injection site (76.1%), injection information (38.1%), and vaccination history (90.5%). Methods for vaccine tracking included chart reviews (28.6%), electronic alerts (42.9%), scheduled audits (38.1%), and vaccination at admission (19%). The most common vaccination process involved a physician ordering and administered by a nurse (57.1%). The main barriers perceived by more than half of participants included lack of patient education and issues with vaccine acquisition. Research Conclusions on Impact on Health Centers: Although vaccination is vital to preventative health, 52.4% of LTCFs perceived barriers in vaccinating their residents. We determined a baseline understanding of how LTCFs track vaccination status and perceived barriers they face in getting residents vaccinated. Individual LTCFs can examine their own system to understand gaps they may face in vaccinations. Given the importance of vaccination in bringing an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing potential impediments to achieving higher vaccination rates in such a vulnerable population is essential. Future research projects could look at steps that can be taken to overcome these barriers and ultimately increase vaccination rates. Authors: Aishwarya Majumdar, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Catherine Lau, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Tanisha Mitra, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Alonso Abugattas, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Margaret McGrath, OMS-II, A. T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Christopher Vaccaro, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Dat Le, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Haneet Chadha, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Fatima Maqsood, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Sandra Rabat, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Alexander Silva, OMS-II, A. T. Still University, School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona Erin McFadden, Internal Medicine Faculty Physician, Regional Director Medical Education, The Wright Center for Community Health Kate Whelihan, MPH, CPH, COPC and Public Health Research Specialist, Department of Public Health, A T Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine Joy H. Lewis, DO, PhD, FACP, Professor, Medicine and Public Health Chair, SOMA Dept. of Public Health, A T Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine "
Congratulations to you all on this strong work! Contacting 109 LTCFs demonstrates tremendous effort on your part to obtain the information you were seeking. This work will surely inform future work to identify barriers to vaccination/booster in LTCFs.--Dr. Obadia
