Why aren't preschoolers immunized? A comparison of parents' and providers' perceptions of the barriers to immunizations
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Published on: August 7, 2017
P J Salsberry1, J T Nickel, R Mitch
1Ohio State University, Columbus.
Insights
Low preschool immunization rates (31%) stem from system barriers like cost and waits, not just parental forgetfulness. Addressing these systemic issues is key to improving childhood vaccination coverage.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Preschool immunizations are critical for child health and disease prevention.
- Understanding barriers to timely vaccination is essential for improving public health outcomes.
- Discrepancies in perceived barriers between parents and healthcare providers can hinder effective intervention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and compare parent and healthcare provider perceptions of barriers to preschool immunizations.
- To investigate the prevalence of low immunization rates in a community-wide sample.
- To inform strategies for improving immunization service delivery and parent education.
Main Methods:
- A community-wide survey was conducted with 302 parents of 2-year-old children and 90 private medical practitioners.
- Data were collected on perceived barriers to preschool immunizations.
- Immunization rates were assessed in the surveyed population.
Main Results:
- A low overall immunization rate of 31% was observed.
- Parents cited system-level barriers (cost, insurance, wait times) as primary obstacles.
- Providers more frequently identified parental factors (forgetting, missed due dates) as barriers.
- System barriers were consistent across various immunization sources and income levels.
- Only 20% of providers utilized reminder systems despite identifying scheduling issues.
Conclusions:
- Systemic factors, rather than solely parental oversight, significantly impede preschool immunization.
- Interventions should focus on mitigating system-level barriers to vaccination.
- Enhanced reminder and tracking systems by providers could improve adherence to immunization schedules.
Abstract:
A community-wide survey of 302 parents of 2-year-old children and 90 private medical practitioners in a large midwestern city revealed low immunization rates (31%) and differences in parent and provider perceptions of barriers to preschool immunizations. Parents most frequently identified barriers of system factors such as cost, lack of insurance coverage, and long office waits. System barriers were reported across differing sources of immunizations (private physician as well as public clinics) and were pervasive across income groups. Providers were more likely to report barriers of parental difficulties with forgetting immunizations or not knowing when the immunizations were due. Even though providers identified parental shortcomings with scheduling as problematic, only one fifth employed tracking and reminder systems. Implications of findings for modifications of the delivery of immunization services and for parent education are discussed.
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