Efficacy of LAIV-T on Absentee Rates in a School-Based Health Center Sample

PurposeTo determine the effectiveness of the intranasal LAIV-T in decreasing school absenteeism in a school-based vaccination initiative and to compare the acceptability of LAIV-T versus TIV among adolescents.MethodsThis study was conducted within a single, urban community high school in the Fall of 2006. Participation was offered to all students in grades 6 to 10, aged 11 to 17 years. In December, school health center staff administered influenza vaccines to the students whose parents had returned written consent. Students received LAIV-T (n = 86), unless they were medically ineligible or objected; in those cases the injectable inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) (n = 41) was offered. Students that did not receive either vaccination served as a control group (n = 234). Nonsuspension absences between January and June of 2007 were tracked for all three groups.ResultsStudents who received the LAIV-T had significantly less nonsuspension absences (mean absences = 5.53, SD = 5.00) compared to both the TIV (mean absences = 9.45, SD = 9.07) and control groups (mean absences = 7.97, SD =7.59).ConclusionsLAIV-T was associated with a reduction in nonsuspension absences and was well accepted by students. Administration of LAIV-T may be a convenient and effective method to mass-immunize students in a school setting and help establish herd immunity within the community.