Children’s Minnesota takes new approach to address vaccination disparities

Each year, children get sick with influenza, or the flu. Some of them get so sick they need to be admitted to the hospital for treatment — a disproportionate number of which are children of color. According to Children’s Minnesota’s flu admission data from the 2022-2023 flu season, approximately 75% of Black/African American patients and approximately 71% of Hispanic/Latino patients admitted with the flu were not vaccinated prior to admission.

To reduce the flu vaccination disparity, the Health Equity team and Collective for Community Health at Children’s Minnesota developed a new, data-driven approach to its community vaccine clinics thanks to a grant from the United Health Foundation.

Data deep dive

Adriene Thornton, manager of Health Equity at Children’s Minnesota, and her team decided to act after reviewing the pediatric health system’s admission data from September 2022 to February of 2023 – during which 6,000 kids were admitted for flu. While the flu vaccine is not perfect, studies show it can make symptoms less severe and keep children and adults out of the hospital.

The admission data was analyzed to identify the neighborhoods in Minneapolis and St. Paul that had higher numbers of unvaccinated children. Knowing where flu vaccination disparities exist allowed Children’s Minnesota to be more deliberate when planning its community vaccine clinics. Once the neighborhoods with higher rates of unvaccinated children were identified, the Collective for Community Health partnered with schools and community organizations in those neighborhoods to coordinate flu vaccination events with the Children’s Minnesota Mobile Clinic. The goal – get children vaccinated before the next flu season began.

In October and November 2023, the Mobile Clinic provided flu vaccinations at four community centers and elementary schools, vaccinating more than 200 children and families. The effort is expanding for 2024. In addition to the flu vaccine, the Mobile Clinic will also offer routine childhood immunizations. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, childhood immunization rates dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic as many families fell behind on well-child checkups. From 2019 to 2023, the rate of Minnesota 2-year-olds who were up to date on recommended immunizations dropped from 69.2% to 63%. Immunizations are the most effective way to protect children from serious diseases like measles.

Building trust

This community vaccine work is about more than improving access to vaccines, it’s also about building trust in historically underserved and underrepresented communities. The Health Equity team goes to the clinics as well as community events to provide vaccine education and talk with families that are hesitant or have questions because of misinformation they may have heard about vaccines. Plus, together with the Children’s Minnesota Simulation Center, the team has provided learning opportunities to help train school health staff to address vaccine hesitancy among student families.

“Our goal is to improve vaccination rates of school-aged children through education about the safety and importance of the influenza and all vaccines,” Adriene said.

United Health Foundation partnership

Children’s Minnesota has wanted to do this type of analysis on its flu admission data for some time. Thanks to a 3-year, $3 million grant from United Health Foundation, it was possible.

“The grant gives us the time with experts to do the data research, cover the cost of the vaccines and pay the people who vaccinate the children and families. We would not be able to do this without the grant,” Adriene said.

The grant is aimed at addressing pediatric health disparities, including vaccinations, mental health and asthma.

“The flu vaccine clinics are one example of what’s possible when we work together to address health disparities to improve the lives of kids and families in our communities,” said Anne Yau, President of United Health Foundation, the philanthropic organization of UnitedHealth Group. “The important work Children’s Minnesota is doing to advance health equity by partnering with the community is exactly what we want to support.”

The grant is enabling the development of programs by the Children’s Minnesota Health Equity team and the Collective for Community Health, which is focused on improving community health and advancing health equity by working with community partners and organizations.

“The community flu vaccine clinics are only the beginning of the innovative health partnerships we are developing to eliminate health disparities thanks to the grant,” said Lauren Gilchrist, senior director of the Collective for Community Health.

Find reliable vaccine resources here .

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