The relationship between maternal characteristics, maternal vulnerability beliefs, and immunization compliance

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the relationship of demographic variables and mothers' perceived vulnerability to eight communicable diseases with immunization compliance. A random sample consisting of 40 mothers with preschool-age children 4-24 months of age was interviewed by means of the Communicable Disease Perceived Vulnerability Scale and the investigator-developed Demographic Data Collection Instrument. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and chi-square (p < or = .05). The average mother in the sample was White, had a 10th- to 12th-grade education, was 24-31 years old, and had a yearly income of $10,000-$45,000. Statistically there were no significant relationships between maternal characteristics or between maternal vulnerability beliefs and immunization compliance. However, it is clinically significant that the overall compliance rate of 70% in this rural area is much higher than the national average of 50%. Findings suggest that using health education materials at the time of newborn discharge, mailing reminder cards, and accessing a statewide computer recall system may increase immunization compliance. In addition, mothers who perceived a vulnerability to the diseases had a 60.6% compliance rate, suggesting that perception of vulnerability may be a useful predictor of immunization compliance.