Heather Dill, MD, a second-year resident at Northside Hospital-Gwinnett, recently showcased her research poster at the 2023 AAFP Student & Resident National Conference. Dr. Dill’s dedication and hard work paid off as she was one of 50 residents chosen to display their research at the AAFP National Conference. Congratulations to Dr. Dill on her remarkable achievement!
Read below for information about her research:
Looking at the various populations within Gwinnett County, it was clear there was a disparity within the community for vaccine administration. A targeted outreach was developed to improve flu vaccine disparity within the Hispanic population in Gwinnett County Georgia. Those in collaboration with the project involved Northside Hospital and Pharmacy, Gwinnett Cares Powered by Gwinnett Coalition, Northside Gwinnett Family Medicine Residency program, and Plaza Las Americas where the event was held. The goal was to increase the number of flu vaccines given to those who otherwise may not have received them. It was important to provide data that shows the benefit of utilizing a community outreach approach to increase the total number of flu vaccines administered. The response of participants on whether they had received a prior vaccine was to be recorded as: never, every few years, every other year, or yearly. A total of 62 vaccinations were given out over four hours. Out of the 62 vaccines given, 35% had never had a prior vaccine, 39% only received a vaccine every few years, 21% every other year, and 5% receive a flu vaccine yearly. Although only a small portion of the Hispanic community was impacted, the results proved to be beneficial. If more community outreach projects can be developed, this will prove to be even more valuable in the future.