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Maternal Influenza Vaccination: Evaluation of a Patient-Centered Pamphlet Designed to Increase Uptake in Pregnancy

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Abstract

We developed and tested a theoretically-based pamphlet entitled ‘Influenza in Pregnancy,’ specifically designed to increase pregnant women’s knowledge, reduce barriers to maternal vaccination, and subsequently improve vaccine uptake. A randomized control trial was conducted on pregnant women (n = 135) at three locations in Connecticut during the 2011–2012 season to evaluate the impact of the patient-centered pamphlet. The women were randomized to one of three groups: the pamphlet; pamphlet/benefit statement (vaccinating the pregnant woman also benefits the young infant); or control. A Chi square analysis compared the intervention with control using the primary outcome of vaccination. A secondary outcome of the perceptions of health beliefs of maternal vaccination were measured through General Linear Model/ANOVA model for repeated measures. Overall 66.9 % (89/133) were vaccinated. Both the pamphlet group 72.9 % (35/48) (χ² = 6.81, df = 1 p = .009), and the pamphlet/benefit statement group 86.1 % (31/36) (χ² = 13.74, df = 1, p < .001), had significantly higher vaccine uptake than the control group 46.9 % (23/49). The potential barrier, perception of vaccine safety (F = 4.973, df = 2, p < .01), and benefit of vaccination to mother and infant (F = 6.690, df = 2, p < .01) significantly improved for the intervention groups compared to control group. The pamphlet significantly increased the pregnant women’s perceptions of the safety and benefit of the vaccine, and the overall uptake.

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Acknowledgments

This project would not have been possible without the contribution of the pregnant women willing to give their time and energy to our research. The authors would also like to acknowledge the contribution of the staff at the Vázquez Laboratory of Clinical Pediatric Vaccine Research at Yale; Dr Joseph Walsh, and registered nurses Wendy Mohr, Paulette O’Malley, and Shirley Rowe at the UCONN Health Center; and Marge Binkowski and colleagues at Bridgeport Hospital and Greenwich Hospital. Funding Author (1) received $1,000 funding from Sigma Theta Tau, which contributed to the participant gift certificates.

Conflict of interest

The authors indicate they have no relevant conflict of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, CT, USA

    Pamela M. Meharry

  2. School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, U-2026, Storrs, CT, 06269-2026, USA

    Regina M. Cusson

  3. Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport, CT, USA

    Robert Stiller

  4. Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Marietta Vázquez

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  1. Pamela M. Meharry
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  4. Marietta Vázquez
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Correspondence to Pamela M. Meharry.

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Meharry, P.M., Cusson, R.M., Stiller, R. et al. Maternal Influenza Vaccination: Evaluation of a Patient-Centered Pamphlet Designed to Increase Uptake in Pregnancy. Matern Child Health J 18, 1205–1214 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-013-1352-4

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