Patient education resources on flu available on the Web for in-practice use

"Kids Need Flu Vaccine, Too!," a toolkit developed by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, now includes new material—available online—to help educate parents about influenza and the importance of annual flu vaccinations for infants and children.

The communications toolkit, located on the NFID Web site (www.nfid.org), has a downloadable brochure, fact sheet, and poster for parents, in English and Spanish. It includes new material for clinicians, too: an updated reimbursement tip sheet to ensure proper coding for vaccines and administration, and an additional case study on a pediatric influenza immunization program.

The educational materials are part of NFID's initiative to improve pediatric influenza vaccination rates among high-risk children with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma. Studies show influenza-associated illnesses in children younger than 2 years of age lead to hospitalization rates similar to those among adults 65 years and older. Vaccination rates for children with high-risk conditions are low—only about 10% to 31% are being immunized each year, according to NFID.

The toolkit also includes tips on educating parents about the severity of influenza, practice models that clinicians can use when developing pediatric influenza clinics, a physician-to-physician video, a patient video on the importance of influenza vaccination, and sample articles for practice newsletters.