TY - JOUR
T1 - The association between intentional delay of vaccine administration and timely childhood vaccination coverage
AU - Smith, Philip J.
AU - Humiston, Sharon G.
AU - Parnell, Trish
AU - Vannice, Kirsten S.
AU - Salmon, Daniel A.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Objectives. We evaluated the association between intentional delay of vaccine administration and timely vaccination coverage. Methods. We used data from 2,921 parents of 19- to 35-month-old children that included parents' reports of intentional delay of vaccine administration. Timely vaccination was defined as administration with ≥4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; ≥3 doses of polio vaccine; ≥1 dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine; ≥3 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine; ≥3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine; and ≥1 dose of varicella vaccine by 19 months of age, as reported by vaccination providers. Results. In all, 21.8% of parents reported intentionally delaying vaccinations for their children. Among parents who intentionally delayed, 44.8% did so because of concerns about vaccine safety or efficacy and 36.1% delayed because of an ill child. Children whose parents intentionally delayed were significantly less likely to receive all vaccines by 19 months of age than children whose parents did not delay (35.4% vs. 60.1%, p<0.05). Parents who intentionally delayed were significantly more likely to have heard or read unfavorable information about vaccines than parents who did not intentionally delay (87.6% vs. 71.9%, p<0.05). Compared with parents who intentionally delayed only because their child was ill, parents who intentionally delayed only because of vaccine safety or efficacy concerns were significantly more likely to seek additional information about their decision from the Internet (11.4% vs. 1.1%, p<0.05), and significantly less likely to seek information from a doctor (73.9% vs. 93.9%, p<0.05). Conclusions. Intentionally delayed vaccine doses are not uncommon. Children whose parents delay vaccinations may be at increased risk of not receiving all recommended vaccine doses by 19 months of age and are more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Providers should consider strategies such as educational materials that address parents' vaccine safety and efficacy concerns to encourage timely vaccination.
AB - Objectives. We evaluated the association between intentional delay of vaccine administration and timely vaccination coverage. Methods. We used data from 2,921 parents of 19- to 35-month-old children that included parents' reports of intentional delay of vaccine administration. Timely vaccination was defined as administration with ≥4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis; ≥3 doses of polio vaccine; ≥1 dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine; ≥3 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine; ≥3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine; and ≥1 dose of varicella vaccine by 19 months of age, as reported by vaccination providers. Results. In all, 21.8% of parents reported intentionally delaying vaccinations for their children. Among parents who intentionally delayed, 44.8% did so because of concerns about vaccine safety or efficacy and 36.1% delayed because of an ill child. Children whose parents intentionally delayed were significantly less likely to receive all vaccines by 19 months of age than children whose parents did not delay (35.4% vs. 60.1%, p<0.05). Parents who intentionally delayed were significantly more likely to have heard or read unfavorable information about vaccines than parents who did not intentionally delay (87.6% vs. 71.9%, p<0.05). Compared with parents who intentionally delayed only because their child was ill, parents who intentionally delayed only because of vaccine safety or efficacy concerns were significantly more likely to seek additional information about their decision from the Internet (11.4% vs. 1.1%, p<0.05), and significantly less likely to seek information from a doctor (73.9% vs. 93.9%, p<0.05). Conclusions. Intentionally delayed vaccine doses are not uncommon. Children whose parents delay vaccinations may be at increased risk of not receiving all recommended vaccine doses by 19 months of age and are more vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. Providers should consider strategies such as educational materials that address parents' vaccine safety and efficacy concerns to encourage timely vaccination.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955631204&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77955631204&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/003335491012500408
DO - 10.1177/003335491012500408
M3 - Article
C2 - 20597453
AN - SCOPUS:77955631204
VL - 125
SP - 534
EP - 541
JO - Public Health Reports
JF - Public Health Reports
SN - 0033-3549
IS - 4
ER -