“I think the costs are somewhat high, although we have debated this hotly within our group,” he said. “We need to improve the efficiencies of this program and reduce the costs per adolescent.”
The percentage of adolescents who were up to date on all three vaccines at baseline was low (12%-13%) in the study population, so the intervention might have a smaller impact in populations with higher baseline rates, as research suggests that incremental gains become harder, Dr. Szilagyi cautioned.
The multifaceted nature of the intervention is likely to be important in this setting. Studies have shown that simple reminders and recalls work in the general population, but not in disadvantaged groups.