Evaluation of a Computer-based Patient Education and Motivation Tool on Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice towards Influenza Vaccination

The objective of this pilot study was to assess and describe changes in knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding influenza vaccination in an inner city setting using an interactive computer-based educational program. A convenience sample of ninety participants whose children were in the age group of 6 months to 5 years was enrolled in this study during October 2007November 2007. A pre-post non –randomized study was conducted at a pediatric emergency department (ED) and a pediatric clinic (PC) in an inner city setting. Two computer-based kiosks were used to present the interactive Patient Education and Motivation Tool (PEMT) with influenza vaccine specific content. An eighteen percent improvement in influenza vaccine knowledge was seen using this pre-post educational program (p<0.0001). Eighty four percent of the participants perceived that their child would get the flu this year. Ninety five percent of the participants thought that the flu shot was safe to give to their child; however thirty two percent of the participants thought flu shot to be painful and sixty three of the participants thought that their child will have a bad reaction after getting the flu shot. Forty two percent of the participants thought that their child could get the flu once he/she gets the flu shot. There was a change in the attitudes related to the influenza vaccine concerning its safety and side effects after the use of this educational program. Ninety three percent of the participants would recommend the use of this program to others while seventy seven percent of the participants would be interested in using this computer based educational program in the near future. PEMT is an effective method for assessing and describing changes in the influenza vaccine knowledge and attitudes in a pediatric emergency department as well as pediatric ambulatory inner city clinic.