Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Approaches to Immunization Data Collection Employed Across Canada During the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza Vaccination Campaign

  • Quantitative Research
  • Published:
Canadian Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives: A critical component of the 2009 H1N1 vaccination campaign was the collection of immunization data at the point of care. To meet reporting requirements and to ensure timely availability of coverage information, many jurisdictions across Canada employed new or modified approaches to vaccine data collection. The objective of this study was to observe and characterize the range of influenza immunization data collection approaches used across Canada.

Methods: As part of a multi-stage observational study, the research team visited immunization clinics at which tasks related to data collection and management were observed.Tasks included registration, medical history collection and review, vaccine record-keeping, proof of vaccination preparation, and data entry. Field notes were analyzed in order to understand the data collection mechanisms that comprised each information system as a whole.

Results: Data collection mechanisms were grouped into two categories: electronic systems (9/38), in which all data were captured on computer; and hybrid systems (29/38), comprised of computerized and paper-based data collection tasks. Observed systems included stand-alone databases, immunization registries, and electronic health records. Organizations incorporated magnetic card reader technology, telephone registration, and pre-populated fields into data collection approaches. Electronic systems captured a greater number of data elements.

Conclusion: Canadian jurisdictions employed a range of data collection approaches during the H1N1 vaccination campaign. System characteristics can have important implications for on-site efficiency and organization as well as program planning and evaluation. The systems observed have been described in detail to allow vaccine providers and planners to learn from what has been done elsewhere.

Résumé

Objectifs: L’un des éléments clés de la campagne de vaccination de 2009 contre la grippe H1N1 était la collecte de données d’immunisation au point d’intervention. Pour respecter les exigences de déclaration et assurer la disponibilité en temps utile des données sur la couverture vaccinale, de nombreuses administrations au Canada ont employé des approches nouvelles ou modifiées pour cette collecte de données vaccinales. Nous avons voulu observer et caractériser l’éventail d’approches utilisées au Canada pour la collecte de données sur le vaccin contre la grippe.

Méthode: Dans le cadre d’une étude observationnelle multistade, l’équipe de recherche a visité des cliniques de vaccination pour y observer les tâches de collecte et de gestion des données: inscription, prise et examen des antécédents médicaux, tenue des registres de vaccination, préparation des preuves de vaccination et saisie des données. Les notes de terrain ont été analysées afin de comprendre les mécanismes de collecte de données de chaque système d’information.

Résultats: Les mécanismes de collecte ont été regroupés en deux catégories: les systèmes électroniques (9/38), où toutes les données sont saisies par ordinateur; et les systèmes hybrides (29/38), où la collecte des données se fait par ordinateur et sur papier. Les systèmes observés comprenaient des bases de données autonomes, des registres d’immunisation et des dossiers médicaux électroniques. Les établissements ont utilisé des lecteurs de cartes magnétiques, l’inscription téléphonique et des champs préremplis comme méthodes de collecte de données. Les systèmes électroniques ont saisi un plus grand nombre d’éléments d’information.

Conclusion: Les administrations canadiennes ont employé diverses méthodes de collecte de données durant la campagne de vaccination contre la grippe H1N1. Les caractéristiques de ces systèmes peuvent avoir d’importantes conséquences sur l’efficacité et l’organisation de la clinique, ainsi que sur la planification et l’évaluation du programme. Les systèmes observés sont décrits en détail pour permettre aux vaccinateurs et aux planificateurs d’apprendre de ce qui se fait ailleurs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kolassa MS, Chilkatowsky AP, Clarke KR, Lutz JP. How complete are immunization registries? The Philadelphia story. Ambul Pediatr 2006;6(1):21–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Hull BP, Deeks SL, McIntyre PB. The Australian Childhood Immunisation Register–A model for universal immunisation registers? Vaccine 2009;27(37):5054–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Stein-Zamir C, Zentner G, Tallen-Gozani E, Grotto I. The Israel National Immunization Registry. Isr Med Assoc J 2010;12(5):296–300.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Sy LS, Liu IL, Solano Z, Cheetham TC, Lugg MM, Green SK, et al. Accuracy of influenza vaccination status in a computer-based immunization tracking system of a managed care organization. Vaccine 2010;28(32):5254–59.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Boyd TD, Linkins RW, Mason K, Bulum I, Lemke B. Assessing immunization registry data completeness in Bexar County, Texas. Am J Prev Med 2002;22(3):184–87.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Bone A, Guthmann JP, Nicolau J, Lévy-Bruhl D. Population and risk group uptake of H1N1 influenza vaccine in mainland France 2009–2010: Results of a national vaccination campaign. Vaccine 2010;28(51):8157–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Mak DB, Daly AM, Armstrong PK, Effler PV. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccination coverage in Western Australia. Med J Aust 2010;193(7):401–4.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Rodríguez-Rieiro C, Domínguez-Berjón MF, Esteban-Vasallo MD, Sánchez-Perruca L, Astray-Mochales J, Fornies DI, et al. Vaccination coverage against 2009 seasonal influenza in chronically ill children and adults: Analysis of population registries in primary care in Madrid (Spain). Vaccine 2010;28(38):6203–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Luhm KR, Cardoso MR, Waldman EA. Vaccination coverage among children under two years of age based on electronic immunization registry in Southern Brazil. Rev Saude Publica 2011;45(1):90–98.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Pereira JA, Quach S, Heidebrecht CL, Foisy J, Quan S, Finkelstein MS, et al. Pan-Canadian assessment of pandemic immunization data collection: Study methodology. BMC Med Res Methodol 2010;10:51.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Quach S, Hamid JS, Pereira JA, Heidebrecht CL, Foisy J, Bettinger JA, et al. Time and motion study to compare electronic and hybrid data collection systems during the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza vaccination campaign. Vaccine 2011;29(10):1997–2003.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Heidebrecht CL, Foisy J, Pereira JA, Quan SD, Willison DJ, Deeks SL, et al. Perceptions of immunization information systems for collecting pandemic H1N1 immunization data within Canada’s public health community: A qualitative study. BMC Public Health 2010;10:523.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Statistics Canada. Postal Code Conversion File, Reference Guide, 2005. Available at: http://www.dsp-psd.pwgsc.gc.ca/Collection/Statcan/92F0153GIE/ 92F0153GIE2005001.pdf (Accessed June 10, 2010).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Surveillance and Epidemiology, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Christine L. Heidebrecht MSc, Jennifer A. Pereira PhD, Susan Quach MSc, Julie Foisy MPH, Shelley L. Deeks MD, MHSc, Natasha S. Crowcroft MD(Cantab), FFPH &  Jeffrey C. Kwong MD, MSc

  2. University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Sherman D. Quan BSc

  3. Toronto Public Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Michael Finkelstein MD, MHSc & Faron Kolbe MSc

  4. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Michael Finkelstein MD, MHSc, Shelley L. Deeks MD, MHSc, Natasha S. Crowcroft MD(Cantab), FFPH &  Jeffrey C. Kwong MD, MSc

  5. Département des sciences de la santé communautaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC, Canada

    Maryse Guay MD, MSc

  6. Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Maryse Guay MD, MSc & David L. Buckeridge MD, PhD

  7. Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de la Montérégie, Longueuil, QC, Canada

    Maryse Guay MD, MSc

  8. Centre de recherche de l’Hôpital Charles LeMoyne, Longueuil, QC, Canada

    Maryse Guay MD, MSc

  9. Vaccine Evaluation Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Julie A. Bettinger PhD, MPH

  10. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Natasha S. Crowcroft MD(Cantab), FFPH

  11. School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Christopher A. Sikora MD, MPH

  12. Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    David L. Buckeridge MD, PhD

  13. Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada

    David L. Buckeridge MD, PhD

  14. Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, G1-06, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada

    Jeffrey C. Kwong MD, MSc

  15. Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Jeffrey C. Kwong MD, MSc

Authors
  1. Christine L. Heidebrecht MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer A. Pereira PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Susan Quach MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Julie Foisy MPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sherman D. Quan BSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Michael Finkelstein MD, MHSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Shelley L. Deeks MD, MHSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Maryse Guay MD, MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Julie A. Bettinger PhD, MPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Faron Kolbe MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Natasha S. Crowcroft MD(Cantab), FFPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Christopher A. Sikora MD, MPH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. David L. Buckeridge MD, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Jeffrey C. Kwong MD, MSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Consortia

Public Health Agency of Canada/Canadian Institutes of Health Research Influenza Research Network (PCIRN) Vaccine Coverage Theme Group

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeffrey C. Kwong MD, MSc.

Additional information

Acknowledgements: PCIRN Vaccine Coverage Theme Group members are: David Allison, Julie Bettinger, Nicole Boulianne, Stephanie Brien, David Buckeridge, Larry Chambers, Natasha Crowcroft, Shelley Deeks, Michael Finkelstein, Julie Foisy, Effie Gournis, Maryse Guay, Jemila Hamid, Christine Heidebrecht, Donna Kalailieff, Faron Kolbe, Jeff Kwong, Allison McGeer, Jane Nassif, Jennifer Pereira, Susan Quach, Sherman Quan, Beate Sander, Chris Sikora, and Don Willison.

This study was supported by an operating grant from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The Canadian Association for Immunization Research and Evaluation provided networking assistance. We are grateful for the contributions and support of the organizations across Canada that participated in this study.

Conflict of Interest: Maryse Guay received a research grant from Hoffman-Laroche in 2006, and honoraria from Merck Frosst Canada for lectures delivered between 2007-2009. Jennifer Pereira is engaged in consultancy work for GlaxoSmithKline in areas unrelated to influenza vaccine. No other authors have conflicts of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Heidebrecht, C.L., Pereira, J.A., Quach, S. et al. Approaches to Immunization Data Collection Employed Across Canada During the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza Vaccination Campaign. Can J Public Health 102, 349–354 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404175

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404175

Keywords

Motsclés

Search

Navigation