Adolescent Immunization Resources

The Immunization Action Coalition and Sanofi Pasteur have collaborated a project to raise awareness of the low immunization rates for the meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccination. The project, titled “MenACWY: You’re Not Done if You Give Just One,” can be found at https://www.give2menacwy.org/ and contains a wealth of resources for medical practices.

The facts are stark: Meningococcal disease can be deadly, and survivors can suffer lifelong disabilities from contracting the disease. Unfortunately, the majority of administration opportunities are missed. Even during vaccine only visits, 86% of adolescents were not given MenACWY. ¹

The recommended administration guidelines are to give the initial dose at 11-12 years of age and the second dose at 16 years of age. This factsheet provides important information about recommending and administering MenACWY.

Another helpful resource from the MenACWY project is the “Top 10 Ways to Improve Adolescent Immunization Rates” handout. The top 10 are:

1. Immunize at every opportunity by considering every visit an opportunity to vaccinate.
2. Use reminder and recall systems to automatically remind families of needed immunizations.
3. Implement standing orders to allow nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare personnel to vaccinate.
4. Take part in an immunization registry to access comprehensive immunization records for every patient.
5. Review your patients’ vaccination histories prior to visits and flag charts as indicated.
6. Follow the U.S. recommended immunization schedule.
7. Schedule vaccination-only quick visits to increase access for patients.
8. Make vaccination education a priority, for parents as well as patients.
9. Establish rapport with your adolescent patients by taking a nonjudgmental approach and being ready to listen and answer questions.
10. Create a culture that values well-adolescent care by maintain the same set of high expectations you take with well-child visits.

Visit the “MenACWY: You’re Not Done if You Give Just One” website at https://www.give2menacwy.org/   for these and other great resources.

In the upcoming months, CPP will continue posting resources on increasing adolescent immunization rates and creating a culture of vaccination in your practice. Subscribe to our blog to stay up to date.

1. Wong CA. Taylor JA, Wright JA, et al. Missed opportunities for adolescent vaccination, 2006–2011. J Adolesc Health. 2013;53(4):492–497.