Uptake of meningococcal vaccine in Arizona schoolchildren after implementation of school-entry immunization requirements.

OBJECTIVES: Meningitis and bacteremia due to Neisseria meningitidis are rare but potentially deadly diseases that can be prevented with immunization. Beginning in 2008, Arizona school immunization requirements were amended to include immunization of children aged 11 years or older with meningococcal vaccine before entering the sixth grade. We describe patterns in meningococcal vaccine uptake surrounding these school-entry requirement changes in Arizona. METHODS: We used immunization records from the Arizona State Immunization Information System (ASIIS) to compare immunization rates in 11- and 12-year-olds. We used principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis to identify and analyze demographic variables reported by the 2010 U.S. Census. RESULTS: Adolescent meningococcal immunization rates in Arizona increased after implementation of statewide school-entry immunization requirements. The increase in meningococcal vaccination rates among 11- and 12-year-olds from 2007 to 2008 was statistically significant (p<0.0001). All demographic groups had significantly higher odds of on-schedule vaccination after the school-entry requirement change (odds ratio range = 5.57 to 12.81, p<0.0001). County demographic factors that were associated with lower odds of on-schedule vaccination included higher poverty, more children younger than 18 years of age, fewer high school graduates, and a higher proportion of Native Americans. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis suggests that implementation of school immunization requirements resulted in increased meningococcal vaccination rates in Arizona, with degree of response varying by demographic profile. ASIIS was useful for assessing changes in immunization rates over time. Further study is required to identify methods to control for population overestimates in registry data.

Empowering patients and researchers through a common health information registry: a case example of adrenocortical carcinoma patients and researchers.

Adrenocortical Carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor that forms in the outer layer of tissue of the adrenal gland, which is a small gland situated on the anteriosuperior aspect of the kidneys. These glands produce steroid hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline that control heart rate, blood pressure, and other body functions. Because this cancer affects a limited number of patients, it is referred to as an Orphan disease, which is defined as a condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people nationwide. Internationally, there are 5,000-8,000 such diseases affecting an estimated 55 million people. There is often limited medical intervention for many of these conditions. With a small number of patients, and a correspondingly small number of providers and researches, this disease is a candidate for establishing a shareable information system that is used by the patient, provider, and researcher. This resource empowers the patient to support their care and treatment while allowing medical providers and researches to have valuable and broad access to patient activities and behaviors that may impact their treatment. Orphan disease registries are prime candidates for establishing health information resources that support communications between patients, providers, and researchers. As a resource, this information can be used to facilitate treatment protocols to include biomarker identification, testing and monitoring of new drugs. By empowering a common community of individuals that share a common disease, the potential to accelerate research and identify improved treatment options may also increase. This paper presents a strategic plan and design for implementing Orphan disease registries within an e-health environment that specifically links patients and providers with researchers. The Adrenocortical Carcinoma Registry will be used to demonstrate the implementation and potential of these systems.