Purpose: The conceptual model for immunization practice includes an assessment of vaccine coverage. Results from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) have indicated that only 20.4% of parents of adolescents can locate an immunization record. More vaccines for adolescents will be available in the future. The purpose of this study was to compare two methods to determine adolescent immunization rates. Method: A retrospective adolescent school record review was conducted and compared with a retrospective telephone survey for MMR, Td, Hepatitis B, DTaP and IPV. Following approval by and coordination with school health nurses, the two methods were conducted with consenting students/parents in three high schools in the Midwest. Subjects: The study population was 3,248 ninth, eleventh and twelfth graders for the record review (2002) and 2,219 tenth and twelfth grade student/parent dyads for the telephone survey (2003). A random sample of 75 records per grade was used in the record review. A total of 909 dyads consented for the telephone survey. Results and Conclusions: Of the 675 records reviewed, 99.6% had evidence of MMR, Td, Hepatitis B, DTaP and IPV. Of the 909 dyads in the telephone survey, only 99 provided immunization data and 27 (2.97%) actually had an immunization record at the time of the call. It was concluded that adolescent school immunization records were a good source for vaccination information. Telephone surveys, such as in this study and the NHIS, yield limited data. Discussion: Determining adolescent vaccine coverage will be a challenge for our health care system. The time and effort to determine coverage using telephone surveys is not efficient. It is anticipated that school health nurses will be called upon to assess, record and share adolescent immunization data with state and national public health entities.
Session #1222 - Undergraduate Submissions
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)