MacIntyre 2003
| Methods | Purpose: for hospitalised participants ≥ 65 to compare an alert system for hospital staff to vaccinate them against influenza and a reminder letter sent to their GP on the day of their discharge Design: RCT, individuals randomised Duration of study: for participants admitted May to September 1998 Interval between intervention and when outcome was measured: day of discharge (arm A) or 1 month and 3 months after discharge (arm B) Power computation: 100 required for 10% difference in vaccination with 95% confidence and 80% power Statistics: odds ratios | |
| Participants | Country: Australia Setting: Royal Melbourne Hospital Eligible participants: (health status); 606 participants ≥ 65 admitted to a Melbourne hospital; of whom 238 already vaccinated, 35 vaccination history not verified, 88 unable to obtain consent, 113 refused, leaving 131 consented Age: 74 Gender: 56% f | |
| Interventions | Intervention 1: reminder in chart and face‐to‐face reminder to nursing and medical staff Intervention 2: reminder to GP on day of discharge Control: no control group | |
| Outcomes | Outcome measured: % vaccinated Time points from the study that are considered in the review or measured or reported in the study: from admission (May to September 1998) up to day of discharge for hospital arm and up to 3 months after discharge for GP arm 1 % vaccinated by day of discharge for hospital arm and 3 months after discharge for GP arm | |
| Notes | Funding: Department of Human Services, Victoria | |
| Risk of bias | ||
| Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | "... research nurse picked a sealed envelope from a randomization box" |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | "... research nurse picked a sealed envelope from a randomization box" (so likely researchers not aware of allocation) |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | No statement |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | 244 eligibles, 131 consented; all those who consented followed through to randomisation and receipt of vaccine. Vaccination for those vaccinated in hospital arm ascertained by discharge records and for those in GP arm by phone call then letter to GP |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | No selective reporting |