Ethnic Communities Pneumococcal Vaccination Collaborative: Replicating a Successful Model in Los Angeles County

Goal: The overall goal is to address local obstacles that limit eligible adult patients from receiving pneumococcal vaccination among communities of color and the providers that serve them, thus increasing the number of Los Angeles County residents who are vaccinated. The long-term goal is to improve the health and well-being of communities of color and reduce healthcare costs. 

Target population: The CMA Foundation will target physician practices serving communities of color in Los Angeles County.

 

Assessment: Between 2009-2014, incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in LA County has been decreasing from a high of 785 cases in 2009 down to 460 cases in 2014. While this reduction is highly commendable, key health inequities remain. Black residents in LA were over 50% more likely than white residents to experience an IPD. In 2011, pneumococcal vaccination coverage rates in LA County were 61.3%, compared to the national average of 69.3%. Women of color had much lower rates of pneumococcal vaccination compared to white women. In a local needs assessment on barriers to pneumococcal immunizations conducted by the CMA Foundation and its partners, patient-level barriers included a lack of perceived threat of vaccine preventable diseases and vaccine safety concerns. The key needs around pneumococcal vaccination in LA County thus reflect national trends in health inequities that place racial/ethnic minorities and low income individuals at greatest risk for morbidity and mortality. The CMA Foundation will form a collaborative to recruit, train, guide, and support ten private practices to implement and evaluate the NJAFP model.