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Associations between childhood vaccination status and medical practice characteristics among white, black, and
Karen G Wooten1, Alan Janssen, Philip J Smith
1Immunization Services Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30030, USA. kwooten@cdc.gov
Insights
Medical practice characteristics impact childhood immunization rates. Large practices and the Vaccine for Children program improve timely vaccinations, but some groups face disparities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Childhood immunization is crucial for public health.
- Understanding factors influencing vaccination status is essential for equitable care.
- Disparities in vaccination rates persist among different racial and ethnic groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine associations between medical practice characteristics and vaccination status in young children.
- To identify how practice type, size, and program enrollment affect immunization timeliness.
- To analyze these relationships across White, Black, and Hispanic children.
Main Methods:
- Survey of 80 pediatric and family physicians regarding patient encounters.
- Data collected on 684 children under 19 months receiving vaccinations in 2003.
- Analysis of physician-reported practice characteristics and child vaccination status.
Main Results:
- Children in large practices and those enrolled in the Vaccine for Children (VFC) program were more likely to be vaccinated on time.
- Hispanic children in large Medicaid practices showed lower on-time vaccination rates.
- White children in practices with large minority populations had higher rates of missed vaccine series.
Conclusions:
- Medical practice characteristics significantly influence childhood vaccination timeliness.
- Targeted interventions addressing practice-level factors are needed to improve access to preventive care.
- Addressing disparities in immunization is vital for improving health equity in underserved populations.
Background:
The purpose of the study was to identify and understand associations between characteristics of medical practices where immunization services are delivered and vaccination status among white, black, and Hispanic children aged less than 19 months.
Methods:
Eighty pediatric and family physicians participated in a physician-patient encounters survey that included 684 children aged less than 19 months who received at least 1 vaccination during a randomly selected week in 2003.
Results:
According to physicians' responses to survey questions, white children who used large medical practices, and black and Hispanic children who used practices, all enrolled in the Vaccine for Children (VFC) program, were more likely to receive vaccines at the recommended age, but Hispanic children who used large Medicaid practices were less likely to receive them at the recommended age. White children who used medical practices that had a large minority patient population were more likely to have completely missed whole series of vaccines.
Conclusion:
Medical practice characteristics varied in importance as determinants of childhood vaccination among white, black, and Hispanic children. Understanding how type of medical practice and other medical practice characteristics may impact the receipt of timely preventive health services is vital to improving health care access in underserved populations.
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