Don't hesitate, vaccinate! An influenza vaccine education program.

The State of Connecticut mandates that prekindergarten children be vaccinated against the influenza virus each year by December 31st. Annually, prekindergarten students in urban schools in Connecticut are not compliant with this statute due to many factors such as parents' lack of education. The purpose of an educational intervention project (EIP) is to provide urban prekindergarten parents/caregivers with education about the influenza virus, influenza vaccine, the community resources, and Connecticut mandates. An influenza vaccine educational intervention was provided to parents and caregivers of prekindergarten students in one urban elementary school in Connecticut. Parents were educated during an open house at the school and then 4 weeks later at a Meet and Greet with prekindergarten parents. Information regarding influenza virus, vaccine, and state regulations was provided along with Pre- and post-questionnaires to assess the level of knowledge. The goal of this EIP is increased knowledge of the influenza virus, the vaccine, community resources, and state regulations. The success of this educational intervention can be shared and implemented in other licensed prekindergarten programs to increase parents' knowledge and it would lead to increased rates of district-wide compliance and decreased student absences. Most importantly, implications point to the potential protection of the public from an illness stemming from the influenza virus.