Related Experiment Videos
Factors predicting compliance with palivizumab in high-risk infants
1Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Insights
Parental belief in palivizumab
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Immunology
- Public health
Background:
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) poses a significant threat to high-risk infants.
- Palivizumab is a monoclonal antibody administered intramuscularly to prevent RSV infection.
- Consistent monthly dosing throughout the RSV season is crucial for maintaining protective serum concentrations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors influencing adherence to the complete palivizumab dosing schedule.
- To understand parental perceptions and logistical challenges related to palivizumab administration.
Main Methods:
- A survey was mailed to families of 385 high-risk children eligible for palivizumab.
- Data collected from Columbus Children's Hospital during the 1998-1999 RSV season.
- Statistical analysis to determine predictors of compliance.
Main Results:
- 78% of eligible children completed all palivizumab doses.
- Parental belief in palivizumab's protective efficacy was the strongest predictor of compliance (p=0.04).
- Transportation difficulties were a significant barrier (p=0.004); Medicaid status and parental worry interacted to increase compliance (OR=6.62, p=0.03).
Conclusions:
- Parental perception of palivizumab's benefit is key to adherence.
- Addressing transportation barriers and leveraging parental concern can improve compliance.
- Targeted communication emphasizing RSV prevention benefits may enhance palivizumab uptake.
Abstract:
Palivizumab must be administered monthly by intramuscular injection throughout the RSV season to maintain the serum concentration at a level sufficient to provide protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The objective of this study is to determine factors associated with completing all doses of palivizumab. The method was a survey mailed to the families of 385 high-risk children who were eligible to receive palivizumab at Columbus Children's Hospital in 1998-1999. Seventy-eight percent of eligible children received all doses of palivizumab. The strongest predictor of compliance was parents' perception that palivizumab would protect their child from RSV; 67% of parents in the compliant group reported they believed palivizumab protected their child "a great deal" against RSV compared with 48% in the noncompliant group (p = 0.04). Difficulty with transportation was also a barrier to compliance; 85% of parents in the compliant group reported no difficulty with transportation compared with 65% in the non-compliant group (p = 0.004). An interaction between Medicaid status and parental worry showed that parents whose child received Medicaid and who worried a lot (about their child getting RSV) were more likely to be compliant (Odds ratio = 6.62, p = 0.03). Communication with parents that focuses on the benefit of palivizumab in reducing RSV-associated illness and hospitalizations may increase compliance.