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The Center for
Vaccine Awareness and Research specialists are involved in several active research
projects and have participated in numerous vaccine research studies
that have helped shape the immunization landscape.
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Implementation of Postpartum Immunization Against Pertussis
Sponsored by:
Center
for Vaccine Awareness and Research, Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH),
Ben Taub General Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, , Houston,
Texas
Description:
In 2006, the ACIP recommended tetanus, diphtheria, acellular
pertussis (Tdap) booster immunization of family members and
caregivers (cocooning) to prevent severe pertussis infants < age 6
months. Immunizing postpartum women, the source of ~33% of pertussis
cases in young infants, prior to hospital discharge is the
cornerstone of this strategy. We have implemented postpartum Tdap
immunization in predominantly Hispanic, medically underserved and
uninsured women at a Houston hospital.
View abstract (pdf)
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Effectiveness of Pentavalent Rotavirus Vaccine (RV5) in US Clinical
Practice
Sponsored by:
Center
for Vaccine Awareness and Research, Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH),
Houston, Texas and CDC, Atlanta,
Georgia
Description:
A complete 3-dose series of RV5 prevented 94-96% of severe rotavirus
disease in clinical trials, but the effectiveness of complete or
partial immunization in clinical practice has not been evaluated. We
assessed the effectiveness of RV5 using 3 control groups, including
an immunization registry.
View abstract (pdf)
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Safety and Immunogenicity of Tdap Vaccine in Healthy Pregnant Women,
Safety in Their Neonates, and Effect of Maternal Immunization on
Infant Immune Responses to DTaP Vaccine
Sponsored by the
National
Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
Investigators:
Carol J. Baker, M.D.,
Flor Munoz, M.D., and
C. Mary Healy, M.D.
Description:
This phase I study aims to evaluate the newly licensed
Tdap vaccine (Tetanus toxoid-diphtheria
toxoid-acellular pertussis) in healthy
pregnant women vaccinated during 30 to 32 weeks of gestation for
their newborn infants.
This study will also assess the immune response of pregnant women to
Tdap vaccine, define the efficiency with which maternal antibodies
are transferred across the placenta to the newborn infant and
evaluate if high maternal antibody levels have an effect on the
infant’s immune response to DTaP (Diphtheria toxoid-Tetanus
toxoid-acellular Pertussis) vaccine given as part of the routine 2,
4 and 6 month infant immunization series. This study will provide
important information regarding the safety and feasibility of using
maternal immunization as a strategy to prevent pertussis infection
in mothers and severe, life-threatening pertussis in their very
young infants who are too young to have completed their own 3-dose
primary immunization series.
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CDC/SAM Immunization Small Grants Program, 2005 Innovation in Improving Immunization Delivery to Children and/or Adolescents
Investigating Barriers to Accessing Information Regarding Private Medical Insurance Coverage for Adolescent Vaccinations
Sponsored by
the
Society
for Adolescent Medicine and the
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
Investigators:
Julie Boom, M.D., and
Amy Middleman, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.E.D.
An often-cited barrier in the effective immunization of adolescents is the financial burden of vaccination. With new immunization recommendations and new vaccines specifically for adolescents, we sought to uncover underlying financial factors that could affect the uptake of new vaccine recommendations for adolescents. Through informal phone calls to private insurance companies in Texas, however, we encountered barriers to accessing a knowledgeable representative capable of releasing information regarding vaccination plan options and reimbursements. We therefore determined that our study actually required a more fundamental component of the investigation, including the primary obstacles to accessing information regarding insurance coverage for newly recommended adolescent vaccines.
Based on this premises, our proposal aims to investigate the primary factors that impede accessing information regarding insurance coverage for newly recommended adolescent vaccines. The specific objectives include:
Gathering data regarding the barriers to accessing health insurance coverage information for new ACIP adolescent vaccination recommendations. Investigating the association of these barriers with characteristics of private insurance companies, including size and type of company and the type and number of health plans each company offers employers. Analyzing any available information regarding benefits and physician reimbursement for adolescent vaccination.
Through telephone surveys, we assess the barriers to accessing reimbursement information from private insurance companies in Texas, New York, and Oregon. The stepwise survey includes 3 main themes/tiers representing pervasive situations we encountered when requesting information from private health insurance companies. These 3 major themes include: (1) access to key informants (including reaching a human contact); (2) availability of reimbursement information (willingness to respond to surveys, and identifying the key person with reimbursement information); and (3) attainment of adolescent vaccine reimbursement information (actual reimbursement data).
After gathering data regarding these barriers, we will investigate the association of these barriers with characteristics of private insurance companies and analyze any available information regarding benefits and physician reimbursement for adolescent vaccination. Results from this study will influence future research plans to investigate these barriers nationally and determine the impact of physician reimbursement on adolescent immunization coverage and healthcare utilization.
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